(NewsNation) — The most influential architect of the 20th Century, Frank Lloyd Wright designed ultra-modern homes – for the times. But Wright never dreamed of creating space for a television, much less an 85-inch flat screen.
“Wright had some beautiful ideas that can still work today,” said architect Aris Georges, a former teacher at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture. Several years ago, Seattle-based cedar home kit maker Lindal Homes hired Georges to turn Wright’s designs from the 1930s to the 50s into something for the 21st century.
“The Lindal Imagine series reflects a modern embodiment of Frank Lloyd Wright’s principles; sensitive to the attributes of Usonian design while meeting the demands of contemporary living,” said Stuart Graff, CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
The foundation gave its official blessing to Lindal’s project, and it receives a royalty for every kit that Lindal sells.
Lindal offers ten different Wright-inspired homes, all employing Wright’s “Usonian House” design principles:
- Open floor plans, optimizing movement and flow
- Strong horizontal features, including gently sloped roofs
- Integration with nature, with floor to ceiling windows
- Filled with light – windows arranged to optimize a connection with the landscape
- Energy efficient: orienting the house to take advantage of passive heating and cooling
- Flexible floor plans, featuring a grid that allows for customization
“Usonian” homes were Wright’s designs for simple, modern affordable homes. The first one was built in 1936, and the final one was completed shortly after Wright’s death in 1959. Usonian homes are considered the prototypes to the ranch style homes that have dominated America’s suburbs.
Lindal’s price for a Wright-inspired home kit is around $400,000. That does not include land, installation and anything else needed on the property (utilities, water, sewer, etc.). Lindal says it’s sold ten Wright kits, and the owners of four have completed construction.