Wingspread, Racine, 1938

Herbert F. Johnson, Jr. was so impressed with Wright’s design for his administration and research tower, Johnson later commissioned Wright to design his new home. Wright called the 14,000-square foot residence Wingspread because its four wings embrace the prairie, while the roof over the central “great hall” soars skyward.

In doing my research for this shoot, I knew that the central chimney was huge, but I had no idea how big it actually was until I saw it in person. It’s a monster! It was difficult to photograph because it’s on two floors. The wood and brick combination inside was breathtaking. Like so many of Wright’s designs, the light just beautifully fills the entire space, and the shadows danced around the interior the entire time.