Frank Lloyd Wright was born on June 8, 1867 in Richland Center, Wisconsin. Wright contributed "Prairie" and "Usonian" home design to American residential architecture. Elements of his designs can be found in a large proportion of homes built today.

Wright studied civil engineering briefly at the University of Wisconsin. At 20 years of age he hired on as a draftsman in a Chicago architectural firm. Wright eventuallly became chief draftsman, and supervised the firm's residential designs.

Wright started his own firm in 1893, and began developing ideas for what was to become known as his "Prairie House" concept — long, low structures made up of horizontal planes; constructed of materials such as wood, brick and plaster with interior and exterior spaces separated by large expanses of intricately patterned stained glass.

Wright rejected the concept of rooms as single-function boxes. His designs incorporated overlapping rooms with shared spaces. He separated functional areas with partial walls and changes in ceiling height, creating 'defined' spaces as opposed to 'enclosed' spaces.

In 1932, Wright published an autobiography and along with his wife, Olgivanna Lasovich, co-founded "The Taliesin Fellowship." The autobiography worked like an advertisement, inspiring many who read it to seek Wright out. Thirty apprentices came to live and learn under his tutelage. In 1936, Wright's most famous work, "Fallingwater," was designed and "Taliesin West" was built in Arizona as a winter location for the school. In 1941, Wright lost his wife and several members of his household when a servant burned down Taliesin, his home and studio in Wisconsin.

After World War II to the end of Wright's life were his most productive years. He received 270 residential commissions. Among his commercial designs were the Guggenheim Museum, the Marin County Civic Center, and the Price Tower. Wright died in Arizona at the age of ninety-two. He had never retired.