S.044 – Rollin Furbeck Residence, 515 Fair Oaks Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois S.044A – 1907 remodeling MAP In 1897 Wright was practicing a combined form of architecture, with traditional styles dominating predominantly vertical structures. Nonetheless, in a few designs his unique vision is starting to emerge, and this one great example. The geometric shapes and upper-floor columns remind me in some ways of the design elements he incorporated into his own studio. Even the octagonal shape of the room jutting onto the porch is reminiscent of both his home and his studio. If you were to remove the porch and front extension of the house, though, you would have a rather symmetrical layout. Note as well the inclusion of a later Wright trademark: you can’t see the darn door! Compare this to S.043, for brother George Furbeck, which also presents a symmetrical layout (employing circles) but lacks the emerging characteristics of the Prairie style. The grafting of prairie elements to a mainly vertical design is found in a few early homes, including the Isadore Heller house (S.038) and the later William Fricke residence (S.058). Photographed on September 1, 2009. Project number: T.9801

Revised 05/11/2018