The name Frank Lloyd Wright has become virtually synonymous with architecture in the American mind. Wright was a flamboyant, outspoken figure who was both praised and criticized for his controversial ideas about space and design. His restlessness and unbridled creativity gave rise to what he called his "organic" style. He was a master of technological concepts that would not become prominent until well after his heyday, and his productivity was legendary--Wright designed thousands of buildings, almost eight hundred of which were constructed. Each of his projects was unique. The body of work they represent continues to influence architects almost forty years after Wright's death.

Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin, on June 8, 1867. His mother was sure her son would be an architect. Anna Lloyd-Jones Wright was a strong-willed, intelligent, and shy woman who taught school for many years. She claimed that before her son was born, she...