[imardmd1]

The architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright on the campus of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, is a little known Central Florida treasure.

Been there lots. My parents lived in Lakeland from 1981 the rest of their lives. Both my sister and her daughter got their degrees from Florida Southern. My niece was married in one of the chapels on campus. So I was on that campus often. There are found also more Wright creations in the residential areas.

And, BfloGuy, as you know, Buffalo, NY also has quite a number of turn-of-the-20th century Wright archetypes. One of them, the Heath house on Soldiers Place, was only a few moment's walk from my folks' home on Argyle Place, where I wrote my PhD thesis back in 1972-3. There were some more Wright houses not far away, up near the Buffalo Zoo.

Coincidentally, two of my boys lived in a house in Oak Brook, IL which (probably not designed by FLW) certainly was directly inspired (or copied) in its design in both exterior and interior influences and furnishings -- an impressive home in which to dwell and be comfortable. One somehow just felt ... well ... rich .. by the surroundings. Wright's home was not far away in Oak Park.

In grade school, I had wanted to become an architect, but later wound up as a research scientist. However, in the college libraries, I spent a lot of time scanning through the art and architecture periodicals in what little leisure was available. Wright was certainly a visionary (and perhaps a creator) of the lean, economical forms to come -- not a very moral person, but a shaper of futuristic amoral lifestyles emerging, bad or good ---

Thanks for the post that stirred reminiscing - of the implementation of his forms in ranch-style and split-level residences that really took hold after WWII - that is so markedly associated with a sea-change of styles and morality. (Interesting that the name "Wright" of the same era was connected with a new age of transportation --) Also interesting that the Prairie concept predated the beginning of the auto and aircraft age!

[Daffynition]

Ah, good old Lakeland. It's a small world ... our youngest graduated cum laude from the SFC pre-med program [bragging parent, yes, I'm guilty]. the campus is enthralling, if you like FLW; when we saw it, some of the buildings were a bit shabby. One could appreciate the red-tape and expense to keep every detail to the *letter of the law*. Overall, I love the tranquility of the buildings and the sense of peace and calm when you walk through them. Say what you will, Wright was an *old geezer* when he worked on the project. Let's hear it for our elders!

[BfloGuy]

a few moment's walk from my folks' home on Argyle Place

I love Argyle Place -- the neighborhoods around Lincoln and Bedell Parkways are beautiful. I lived farther over on the West Side (other side of Richmond,) but used to walk around your parents' neighborhood all the time. As much to look at the Heath House as anything.