The E-Z Polish Factory (built 1905), the only factory building designed by
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...
, is located at 3005 West Carroll Avenue in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
, United States. The E-Z Polish Company made polish for shoes and stoves. The building now serves as practice space for local bands and artists.
The factory was at one point forgotten as a Wright design. In 1939, architectural historian
Grant Carpenter Manson was writing his Harvard doctoral dissertation and followed a clue that the factory was located somewhere along the Galena division of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. Manson rode back and forth on the line until he located the factory.
The structure was an exercise in concrete construction technique. It is one of the least decorative designs of Wright's career.
Wright's original design for the factory included an elaborate scheme for an open court between side wings at the rear. The plans for the court were found at
Taliesin
Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early Britons (Celtic people), Brittonic poet of Sub-Roman Britain whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the ''Book of Taliesin''. Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to ...
but were never executed.
The company was owned by William E. Martin of
Oak Park and
Darwin D. Martin of
Buffalo, New York. Wright also designed the
William E. Martin House in 1902.
See also
*
List of Frank Lloyd Wright works
Frank Lloyd Wright designed 1,141 houses, commercial buildings and other works throughout his lifetime, including 532 that were eventually built. , there were 409 extant structures designed by Wright. Over one-third of the extant structures are on ...
References
* Brewer, Gregory M., “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin & Martin Building: A Forgotten Landmark Rediscovered,” ''OA+D, the Journal of Organic Architecture and Design'' 12, no. 2 (Summer 2024).
* (S.114)
External links
A site about E-Z Polish Factory
{{Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright buildings
Buildings and structures in Chicago
Industrial buildings completed in 1905
Industrial buildings and structures in Illinois
1905 establishments in Illinois