If you find yourself feeling artsy and suddenly have the urge to start traveling, write poetry, and study architecture, there’s no need to drop a wad of cash, fly to Europe, and start living out of a backpack. Simply venture to the east side of Wichita, and take in the beauty of two amazing projects from one of America’s greatest architects, Frank Lloyd Wright.

The first building is a residence in the College Hill neighborhood. Located at 255 N. Roosevelt, the Allen-Lambe house was designed in 1915 and occupied in 1918. The house was built in Wright’s “Prairie Style,” which is characterized by open-floor plans, overhanging eaves and an emphasis on the horizontal features of the building. This style was extremely contemporary at the time, standing in stark contrast to the tall, confining, and boxy Victorian houses more commonly seen. Not only does the residence feature a sunken courtyard garden complete with a koi pond, but several pieces of furniture, also design by Wright, are still in the house.

Traveling further east, you will find another of Wright’s buildings on the Wichita State University campus. The Corbin Education Center, designed in 1957, was one of Wright’s final projects, and a great example of his later work. The structure, built to hold classrooms and offices, features external patios, an impressive courtyard and two “light towers” which bring in natural light during the day and become glowing lanterns at night. An interesting side note about this project: a second building was also planned be to be built nearby to hold laboratories but, due to lack of funds, was never started. However, the concept of this second building was used by John Hickman, a student of Wright’s, when he designed Century II.

There are a few things to keep in mind when visiting Wright architecture, which will also help fool people into believing you know what you’re talking about. Wright loved to hide the entries to his buildings, so don’t be surprised if the front door is not visible from the sidewalk. Also, if the ceilings seem a bit low, this is because Wright based the scale of his buildings on himself, all 5 feet 8 ½ inches of him. The low ceilings are also used because Wright loved to make people feel slightly compressed while entering his buildings, making the open, taller spaces further inside, seem that much more impressive. Also look for the interaction between exterior and interior spaces. Wright loved having the feel and look of the landscape outside, flow to the inside. This love of landscape can also be found with organic detailing at every level of his buildings.

With that being said, I am by no means a Wright historian. The information I have mentioned was pieced together from articles I’ve read and a few scribbled notes I took in my architectural history class. If you’d like to get better information from a very reliable source, you’re in luck. Eric Lloyd Wright, architect and grandson of Frank Lloyd Wright, will be giving a lecture, “Thoughts on my Grandfather,” this Saturday, May 8 at 1 p.m. at the Campus Activities Center Theater on the WSU Campus. Admission is free.

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