My initial fascination with Frank Lloyd Wright’s design began when I worked for a Sioux Falls stained glass company. For those acquainted with stained glass design, the element of line is essential, and it is “line” that brings repetition, movement, and rhythm to these refractive compositions. As a designer and stained glass artisan, I soon recognized that Wright had an innate ability to use lines to bring nature into their most basic geographic forms. FLW also connected his design philosophy directly to nature; his belief was, “A building can only be functional when integral with the environment and so formed in the nature of materials according to purpose and method as to be a living entity.” This philosophy of “form should follow function” is one that I strive to use in my designs.
Wright used the repetition of squares connected with lines to depict the theme of hollyhocks. He consistently used “strips” of glass to represent the stems of flora.
Wright used repeating chevron motifs to represent the prairie sumac or the pendant flowers of the wisteria.
Wright used softened hues of nature: golden hues and muted green colors. However, he also incorporated the unexpected jewel tones of purple and turquoise.
The “tree of life” motif was one of Wright’s most typical designs, which suggests a tree’s upward branching.
Although straight lines rarely occur in nature, Wright used this motif to combine natural hues and shapes to create a formal, symmetrical composition.
In the past, I struggled to find a balance between too little or too much editing. I sometimes have felt the need to use all of my ideas, and as a result, I created a confusing message to the audience. The designs of FLW have reminded me of the importance of reducing structures to their simplest forms. If a shape, typography, color, etc. is not for the purpose (or functionality) of the design, (e.g., to reach a target audience), it should be removed. As a media design student, FLW’s thoughts about design have inspired many of my printed and web-based projects.
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