AEC News You Can Use Blog

The building would stand out in even the biggest of cities.

But here, amid a sea of nearly ripe corn, a solar field and wetlands in northeastern Kenosha County, the Pritzker Military Archives Center overshadows the rural landscape.

The building’s shape resembles a World War II landing craft. Its steel girders and columns are painted a bright red.

Its founder is a retired colonel who happens to be a billionaire with a passion for military history. The building’s architect is world renowned, and the project serves as a unique gateway to this village of just over 9,000 people in southeastern Wisconsin.

Chicago-area architect Celeste Robbins wasn’t in the market for a weekend getaway, but it was love at first sight when she laid eyes on a low-slung 1956 residence designed by architect Winston Elting overlooking Lake Michigan. “A client had contacted me about doing some work on the residence, but in the end they decided not to purchase it,” recalls Robbins. “It was a completely spontaneous decision to put in an offer, but I love the mid-20th-century vocabulary and the two-acre site is fabulous.”

The iconic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright is found in abundance in his home state of Wisconsin. Born in 1867, Wright is often considered the greatest architect of all time.

His designs, famous for incorporating light and nature, are referred to as Prairie Style, after the low, flat lines of the landscape of the Midwest. Wright also designed budget homes to reflect the impact of the Great Depression, called Usonian homes; these homes were considered affordable yet beautiful places to live.

Wright was commissioned to create private homes, offices, and public spaces such as churches and civic centers, almost all of which are still standing today. There are many Wright homes and buildings in Wisconsin and for fans, a Frank Lloyd Wright Trail was created in 2017 to provide travelers to Wisconsin a way to map out several of the iconic stops.

Since there are Wright designs in almost every state, other “trails” exist around the country. Read more here