Celebrated American architect and interior designer Frank Lloyd Wright was well-known for his philosophy of organic architecture; the process of designing buildings and structures that are in harmony with the natural environment. One particularly notable example of Wright’s work is a building that’s been hailed as the USA’s “most beautiful workspace”. This is the Great Workroom at the headquarters of consumer goods company SC Johnson & Sons in Racine, Wisconsin.
Making the impossible a reality
Wright designed the Great Workroom in 1937 and his proposed structure was so unusual, the Wisconsin Industrial Commission initially refused to grant him planning permission. Wright’s vision for the building included the construction of 60 columns each standing 21 feet high and resembling lily pads; these columns were 18 ft in diameter at the top but tapered to a mere 9 ft at the base. Unsurprisingly, nobody at the Commission could believe that such light, airy structures would support the weight of the roof. The architect soon proved them wrong by piling no less than 60 tons of sandbags on a single column to demonstrate its strength. The project then got the green light and the Great Workroom was opened for company use in 1939.
Today, the Great Workroom is one of the world’s most famous administrative workspaces, and visitors are often left speechless. For example, connected glass tubes in the walls and ceiling bathe the workspace in natural light, creating the illusion that it is outdoors. It’s certainly a far cry from the dingy cubicles traditionally associated with corporate administrative workspace!
Relevance in today’s working world
Decades after his death, Wright’s legacy as an architect lives on. The Great Workroom is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark since 1976. As a stellar example of organic design, it remains highly relevant to today’s office architects and designers, many of whom are looking to create buildings with minimal environmental impact and maximum benefit for occupiers.
Modern examples
Wright declared organic architecture to be “the modern ideal” and treated each step of a building’s construction (including materials and furniture) as part of a larger, unified organism. Essentially, the different components of the building must come together to create a seamlessly integrated whole, as inspired by nature.
The process is based on respect for the relationship between the building’s function and form. Whilst the structure obviously has to be built to fit certain office specifications, organic architecture dictates that each solution is bespoke and unique. Indeed, structural shapes are often curved as opposed to rigid and linear, for example, and buildings are designed to complement their natural surroundings.
Today’s office architects are still applying these same principles to create award-winning developments like the mixed-use Elements Building and the amazing Bosco Verticale project.
Take a look at some impressive examples of organic architecture around the world – and share examples of workspaces that you think have been inspired by Wright’s work in the comments section below.