This document provides information about Frank Lloyd Wright's 1902 Prairie style Heurtley House located in Oak Park, Illinois. It was commissioned by Arthur Heurtley, a banker, and his wife. Key features of the house discussed include its horizontality, solidity, use of alternating brick bands, Richardsonian arch details, central fireplace, and windows with geometric art glass panes. The simple floor plan and inward-facing design aimed to focus the Heurtleys' attention on each other.

1. -Submitted by
Dhruv Bansal
Madhav Singh
B.Arch 3rd yr

2. Introduction
 Location: 318 North Forest
Avenue, Oak Park, Cook
County, IL, USA
 Area: 0.2 acres (0.081 ha)
 Built: 1902
 Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
 Architectural style: Prairie style

3. About the client
 Arthur Heurtley was born on December
26, 1860 , the only son of Dr. Richard
Walter Heurtley . He was a banker and a
very cultivated man naturally drawn to
the artistic personalities. A friendship
nurtured by a love of music have made
Wright the logical choice as architect
when the Heurtleys decide to build their
new home.

4. Orientation
 The house has a major facade with a
porch or verandah facing south . A
Victorian concept , devised to make use
of the restorative qualities of the
summer sun.

5. Floor Plans
A SIMPLE PLAN WITH NO PROJECTING SPACE EVERY SPACE IS CONFINED
WITHIN A BOX
“ BOX STILL NOT BROKEN”

6. Prow Shaped Bays

7. Important features of house
 Horizontality
 Solidity and inwardness
 Richardsonian arch
 Central fireplace
 BrickWork

8. Horizontality

9.  The dominant horizontality of the house
echos the wide, flat, tree-less expanses
of the mid-Western United States.
 Two colors of slender Roman bricks are
laid in alternating projecting bands which
aids to horizontality in the house.

10. Solidity And Inwardness

11.  Widely spaced brick bands on the exterior
create an impression of solid stone making
it more monolithic than it actually is.
 The house guards its openings jealously
and with its weighty look appears to
withdraw within its stone like walls.
 Since the Heurtleys were not particularly
happy together, inwardness and solidity
was Wright’s way of making them focus
attention on each other without external
distractions.

12. Inspirations from Henry Hobson
Richardson’s work
 Richardsonian arch
 Exposed masonry
 Band of windows at the top, just below
the roof.

13. Crane Memorial Library, Quincy , Massachusettes, by Henry Hobson Richardson

14. Richardsonian arch
The entrance of the house is tucked in the dark alcove of a
Richardsonian arch to create a block like seemingly
impenetrable facade.

15. Richardsonian arch in earlier
buildings
Frank W . Thomas House Dana Thomas House

16. Richardsonian arch in later buildings
Morris Gift Shop

17. Approach

18. Side Entrance

19.  The pathway that leads to the front door
of the Heurtley’s house is long and
circuitous.
 One moves toward the rear lot turning
sharply right ascending to the porch with
its planted urns.
 Then, turning left one passes through
arched entryway.

20. Planted Urns

21. Fire Place
The Richardsonian Arch is
echoed on the central
fireplace within.

22.  According to Wright Fireplace was a
centre for family’s union and thus it was
very important element for happy
relationship of Heurtley Family.
 Fireplace also played a structural role of
carrying building’s load so that exterior
of the building can be harmoniously
arranged and can be given any desired
form.

23. Brickwork

24.  Wright was Considering textured
alternative to the simple massing of the
Ward Willits house.
 Two colors of slender Roman bricks are
laid in alternating projecting bands.
Lighter color – Projecting course
Darker color – Recessed course.
 The color of the vertical mortar closely
matches the color of the brick to achieve
continuity in brick course.

25. Windows
Windows have geometric patterned
leaded art glass panes, accented in pale
green and gold colors.

26. Drawing Room
Interior

27.  Wall mouldings , floors and cabinetry in lightly
stained , highly varnished birch wood stands
against matte roughcast plaster walls.
 A band of trim runs along the wall a foot below
the ceiling . It visually lowers the level of the
ceiling to a more human scale.
 Colors in interiors
Ground level deeper colors – Dark brown, Tan
and ochre.
Upper level light colors - Pale green , gold and
pink tones.

28. Progression of Heurtley House
Robie House

29. Thank You