While traditional Georgian and Greek Revival styles have long been associated with the design landscape of the South, modern architecture is also perfectly at home here, including works by Frank Lloyd Wright.
One of Wright’s most famous Southern designs, the Rosenbaum house in Florence, Alabama, turns 75 this year. It is the only Wright-designed house in the state and one of the first examples of the architect’s affordable Usonian houses, which were built as a reaction to the financial hardships of the Great Depression. The 25 houses Wright built in this style reflect the singular vision of each client and incorporate local materials, a closeness to the land around them, and practical built-ins. Tours of the house are available Tuesday through Sunday but require reservations for larger groups.
Auldbrass in Yemasee, South Carolina, is another fascinating example of Wright’s work. It is the only plantation he ever designed. Wright worked on the project for more than two decades and intended to create all manner of additional outbuildings adjacent to the house. In the late eighties, famed film producer Joel Silver restored and added structures to complete Wright’s original vision. Auldbrass is open to the public for one weekend every year in November. This season’s tour is sold out but click here for more information about the next open weekend.
You can even own a Southern Wright original. Construction on the Cooke House on Crystal Lake in Virginia began two weeks before Wright’s death in 1959 and was completed in 1960. The structure was built to take full advantage of lake views. Click here for more information on the house and sale.
Photo: Courtesy of flwrightbeachhouse.com
The built exterior of the Cooke House.
Photo: Courtesy of flwrightbeachhouse.com
Renderings of the Cooke House.
