On the Road: Taliesin

I have been a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture since I discovered him as a college student. For years I carried around a copy of The Living City, his futuristic look at what cities could someday resemble. But mostly I was a fan of his plain and simple forms and the idea that a building should be part of its surroundings, not overwhelming them. And the idea of inside spaces and outside spaces converging. He was very much influenced by Japanese ideas of the harmony of all things natural. So it was natural that a trip to the Upper Midwest would include a visit to Taliesin, his home near Spring Green, Wisconsin. First of all, the home is in a beautiful setting, especially in summer. The surroundings are rolling hills, a beautiful valley river, and gorgeous countryside. A double-wide trailer would look good here and have beautiful views from any window. But Taliesin is lovely, though as our guide told us, in need of much restoration work just to keep it from falling down. Wright spared no expense when spending his clients' money, but was cheaper and more willing to cut corners with his own. But it was nice to be able to sit in the great room at Taliesin and look out at the beautiful landscape and feel perfectly at home, at ease.