During the 1950s many American artists became targets of the House Committee on Un-American Activities, which sought to purge the country of Communist influence. Writers, painters, movie directors, and actors were accused of subverting democracy by producing "Red Art." Architects as well felt the heat in the emotionally charged political atmosphere—and often felt compelled to use cold-war rhetoric in explaining and defending their designs. In 1953 Frank Lloyd Wright rushed to a hearing in Manhattan held to decide the fate of his Guggenheim Museum design. Many New Yorkers felt that the museum would be too radical in appearance and inappropriate as an art gallery. Furthermore, city officials charged that the blueprints did not conform to Manhattan building codes. Wright agreed to make several cosmetic changes in the blueprints to meet the building codes but vowed to fight...