The architect

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 ...

was interested in mass production of housing throughout his career. In 1954, he discovered that the builder Marshall Erdman, who contracted the First Unitarian Society of Madison, was selling modest

prefabricated home Prefabricated homes, often referred to as prefab homes or simply prefabs, are specialist dwelling types of prefabricated building, which are manufactured off-site in advance, usually in standard sections that can be easily shipped and assembled. ...

s. Wright offered to design better prefabs, ones that he believed could be marketed for $15,000, which was half as much as Marshall Erdman and Associates, Inc. (ME&A) were charging for their own version. Wright didn't do much on the project until late 1955, but by spring of 1956 he had final plans for three

Usonian Usonia () is a term that was used by the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright to refer to the United States in general (in preference over ''America''), and more specifically to his vision for the landscape of the country, including the planni ...

-type homes to be built exclusively by ME&A.

Overview

The prefab package Erdman offered included all the major structural components, interior and exterior walls, floors, windows and doors, as well as cabinets and woodwork. In addition to a lot, the buyer had to provide the foundation, the plumbing fixtures, heating units, electric wiring, and drywall, plus the paint. Buyers had to submit a topographic map and photos of the lot to Wright before purchasing the property. Wright would determine where the home should sit on the lot. Wright also intended to inspect each home after completion, and to apply his famous glazed red signature brick to the home if it had been completed as planned.

Prefab #1

Wright's design was for a single story, L-shaped home with a pitched-roof bedroom wing joining a flat-roofed living-dining-kitchen area centered on a large masonry fireplace. A carport with one end of its roof resting on a detached storage shed completed the design. Eventually, Wright produced variations, including a fourth bedroom and options for a full or partial basement. The versions ranged in size from . To limit costs, Wright used standard Andersen windows and

Pella Pella () is an ancient city located in Central Macedonia, Greece. It served as the capital of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. Currently, it is located 1 km outside the modern town of Pella ...

doors, and designed the prefab to be built using standard sheets of plywood,

Masonite Masonite board Back side of a masonite board Isorel, Quartrboard, Masonite Corporation, Masonite, also called Quartboard or pressboard, is a type of engineered wood made of steam-cooked and pressure-molded wood or paper fibers. The fibers ...

and drywall. The exterior was to be painted Masonite with horizontal redwood battens attached, though the house could also be built of stone or concrete block, or partially faced with stone. Prefab #1 Houses: * Eugene Van Tamelen House —

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the List of municipalities in Wisconsin by population, second-most populous city in the state, with a population of 269,840 at the 2020 Uni ...

(1956) * Arnold Jackson House "Skyview" — moved from Madison (built 1957) to

Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Beaver Dam is a city in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States, along Beaver Dam Lake (Wisconsin), Beaver Dam Lake and the Beaver Dam River. The population was 16,708 at the 2020 census, making it the largest city primarily located in Dodge Co ...

(in 1985). * Donald C. Duncan House — moved from

Lisle, Illinois Lisle ( ) is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 22,390 at the 2010 census, and in 2019 the population was recorded to be 23,270. It is a south-western suburb of Chicago in the Illinois ...

(built 1957) to Polymath Park, Westmoreland County, southwestern Pennsylvania (in 2002). * Frank Iber House —

Plover, Wisconsin Plover is a village in Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. A suburb of Stevens Point, it is part of the Stevens Point Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,519 at the 2020 United States census. History An 1825 treaty est ...

(1957) * Al Borah / Carl Post House —

Barrington Hills, Illinois Barrington Hills is a village located about northwest of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. Per the 2020 census, the population was 4,114. It straddles approximately over four counties, Cook, Kane, Lake, and McHenry. The Village of Barr ...

(1957) * Catherine and William Cass House The Crimson Beech —

Staten Island, New York Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

(1959) * Socrates Zaferiou House —

Blauvelt, New York Blauvelt is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet, about 20 miles northwest of New York City. It is a census-designated place, formerly known as Greenbush and then Blauveltville, in Orangetown, New York, Orangetown, Rockland County, New York, Rockland Coun ...

(built 1961) * Joseph Mollica House —

Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Wauwatosa ( ; colloquially Tosa) is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 48,387 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Wauwatosa is a suburb located immediately west of Milwaukee and is part of the Milwa ...

(1958) * Dr. Edward & Laura Jane LaFond House — St. Joseph, Minnesota (1960)

Prefab #2

Prefab #2 is a square, 2 story home with a flat roof. The house has a large, square 2-story living room which is lit by a wall of windows. Also on the first floor are the dining area, kitchen, entry hall, utility room, and the master bedroom. A large concrete block fireplace separates the kitchen and living room. A stairway leads to a balcony and three second-story bedrooms. The house is constructed from concrete block with horizontal board and batten siding. A row of windows just below the soffit make the chunky flat roof appear to float above the house. A carport attached to one corner of the house completes the design. Prefab #2 Houses: *

Walter Rudin House The Walter and Mary Ellen Rudin House was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and prefabricated by Marshall Erdman. The building is located at 110 Marinette Trail, Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Designed in 1957, it is the first of the only tw ...

–

(1957) * James McBean Residence –

Rochester, Minnesota Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a popul ...

(1957) Both houses have the same floor plan and vary only in minor details such as paint color and siting.

Coverage

The December 1956 issue of ''House & Home'' Magazine featured the Wright designed Marshall Erdman Prefab Houses and included Marshall in the cover story. No examples of Prefab #3 were ever built.

References

* (S.406, S.407, S.408, S.409, S.410, S.411, S.412) * Sprague, Paul (1990). ''Frank Lloyd Wright and Madison''. Madison, WI: Elvehjem Museum of Art/University of Wisconsin. pp. 151-167.

External links