I love his work (except all the leaking roofs and under-supported cantilevers)...but he wasn’t a very good guy...which is fine with me as I appreciate the vision more than his persona offends me. Of course I never knew him personally, but if I had, I doubt we would have been best buddies. Ayn Rand, who did know him, said she didn’t like him at all. She used modern architecture in “The Fountainhead” but stressed that Howard Roark was NOT modeled after Wright.
Oh, man, it's funny you mentioned her. I constantly explain to FReepers that Rand's personal life should not detract from her philosophy (agree with it or not as you may.) Many geniuses led troubled and conflicting lives. Wright and Rand were certainly two examples.
“(except all the leaking roofs and under-supported cantilevers).”
Well, he was ahead of his time as far as materials and construction methods. We could build his designs today with no problems. Falling Waters is incredibly beautiful, but I doubt I could stand the constant humidity!
Have you ever taken the FLW tour at the Johnson Wax headquarters in Racine? The big open concept work room is amusing because everybody who was any kind of executive eventually fled the open concept work space and retreated to their own private offices with walls that surround and doors that shut. THe Great Work Room is now just a museum piece that is displayed on tours.
Then there was his design for the 3 legged desks for the Great Work Room which had to be re-done because they kept tipping over and dropping the secretaries on their behinds!