On and By Frank Lloyd Wright

Few architects have shaped the course of architectural history as dramatically as Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959). Wright has long been the focus of absorbing scholarly debate. In addition to the many accomplishments of his long career, he is also the author of numerous key essays on design that have influenced entire generations of architects.

This volume brings together the most important essays both on and by Wright. It offers at once an illuminating study of one of the key figures of twentieth-century architecture and an extensive overview of the very principles that are at the foundation of great architecture. Robert McCarter has sifted through all the important scholarly work on the subject of Frank Lloyd Wright to select the highlights in research and reading. Each essay is illustrated richly with archival material.

On and By Frank Lloyd Wright: A Primer of Architectural Principles contains 14 analytical essays that use Wright's buildings as a means of comprehending his complex creative process. The architect of many of the twentieth century's most important buildings, Wright largely remains an enigma today.

Written by renowned architects and architectural historians, On and By Frank Lloyd Wright provides a uniquely presented and meticulously informed look at Wright's buildings, from inception to completion, from his earliest works to his final masterpieces. With over 400 images - including photographs, rare archival material and diagrammatic analyses - the primer provides a far more complete understanding of Wright's work than any previous study. The final word comes from the master himself: in a set of three seminal essays, Wright discusses his own architectural philosophies to leave us with one last lesson from this great American teacher.

Robert McCarter is a prominent architectural historian and practising architect, and Professor at the Department of Architecture, University of Florida. He is the author of Louis I Kahn, and Unity Temple and Fallingwater in Phaidon's own Architecture and Detail series.

'The most beautiful writing in the book is by Frank Lloyd Wright himself…even in literary rather than architectural terms, his prose assures him a place in the American canon…Richard MacCormac’s essay…is absolutely indispensable to understanding Wright’s work…a beautifully produced and comprehensively illustrated tome.' (Building Design)

'In the multitude of books published on Frank Lloyd Wright over the last decade or so, two stand out: Neil Levine's The Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright and Robert McCarter's Frank Lloyd Wright. Now comes a third and, keeping it in the family, it's edited by McCarter and includes essays by him and Levine…given that much of the material has long been available, why is this book so good? Simply because it provides a sustained focus on the 'ordering principles' that inform Wright's architecture, and, in getting to the heart of his design process, it becomes surprisingly relevant today…This book may be architectural history but it couldn't be more pertinent.' (Architect’s Journal)

'Devotees of the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright will love this newly illustrated collection of esays...over 400 illustrations including sketches, plans and photographs...provide a close look at Wright's creative process. McCarter seems to have left no character in the architect's history unturned…Even if you think you've read it all before, McCarter and his contributors offer an original look at the Wright stuff.' (Array Magazine)

'This book contains a collection of important essays on and by Frank Lloyd Wright, providing both an illuminating study of on of the key figures of the 20th century as well as an overview of the very principles that are the foundatio of great architecture.' (Frank Lloyd Wright Quarterly)