What was the concept of the Robie House?
Built between 1909 and 1910, the building was designed as a single family home by architect Frank Lloyd Wright and is renowned as the greatest example of Prairie School, the first architectural style considered uniquely American….Robie House.
| Frederick C. Robie House | |
|---|---|
| Chicago Landmark | |
| Designated | September 15, 1971 |
How many floors are in Robie House?
three-story
The three-story house achieves its horizontality by a number of means. It features dramatically cantilevered rooflines that reach over exterior spaces, continuous walls that shield the ground floor, and bands of windows and doors that counteract the solidity of the wall plane.
Why was the Robie House built?
Robie wanted a house with an abundance of light and great views of the surrounding neighborhood, yet one that also maintained his family’s privacy. He didn’t like small confining rooms and thought that flowing spaces were essential in a well designed home.
How many square feet is the Robie House?
Designed for an entrepreneur, his wife and their two small children, the 9,000-square-foot, three-story building rises from the earth in red-brick-and-limestone slabs like a sheet cake that wants to be a ziggurat.
Who owns the Robie House?
Robie House was finally sold to Webb & Knapp in 1958. A development firm involved in Hyde Park’s urban renewal, Webb & Knapp purchased Robie House from the Chicago Theological Seminary in 1958; they later donated the house to the University of Chicago in 1962. The University of Chicago currently owns Robie House.
What makes Robie House unique?
At Robie House, the main living space is a single, light-filled room divided only by a central chimney. The open plan design was revolutionary for the time, and created a modern, flexible living space for the Robie family, consisting of a dining area and a living area.
What is the significance of Wright’s design of the Robie House?
The significance of Wright design of the Robie House is that he neglected the conventional ideation of a house as a box containing smaller “boxes” for rooms. By contrast, the interior space is fluid and transparent, allowing the entry of light without obstructing the view.
How many times was the Robie House almost demolished?
The building was almost demolished twice, once in 1941 and again in 1957. Frank Lloyd Wright campaigned each time to save the house. The campaign to save the Robie House from demolition helped spark a national interest in historic preservation.
Why is the Robie House important to Prairie School?
The meticulously coordinated design of the Robie House has made it the “measuring stick” against which all other Prairie School buildings are compared. In contrast to the home’s architectural staying power, Robie’s tenure in his home was short-lived.