The Best of Frank Lloyd Wright on Google Earth

Johnson Wax Building, Ravine Wisconsin

Frank Lloyd Wright, "the greatest American architect of all-time." That's how the American Institute of Architects described him in 1991.

Wright's career spanned in excess of 70 years. During that time, according to the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, he created over 1,000 designs.

400-500+ were realized. The Building Conservancy sets the number at more than 500 while DesignMuseum.org states "over 400 were built."

Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona

What's not in question is Wright's work is being lost.

"Nearly 20% of his executed works have been destroyed," the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy noted, "because of fire, neglect or development."

Hollyhock House, Los Angeles, California

Frank Lloyd Wright promoted organic architecture, was a leader of the Prairie School movement of architecture and developed the concept of the Usonian home.

Organic architecture is exemplified by Wright's masterwork Fallingwater, the Robie House and the Westcott House reflect the Prairie School movement of architecture, while the Dobkins House serves as an example of the Usonian home concept which was developed by Wright himself.

The Robie House, Chicago, Illinois

There are a number of buildings which were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright that you can see 3-D renderings of on Google Earth.

Google Earth did a good job of choosing a spectrum of Frank Lloyd Wright's work to render in 3-D, including private residences, commercial buildings and the only skyscraper he designed which was constructed, the Price Tower Arts Center.

Price Tower Arts Center, Bartlesville, Oklahoma

It appears Google Earth had difficulty with the most famous of Frank Lloyd Wright's designs, and one of the most well known private residences in the United States, Fallingwater.

The problem with Fallingwater is that much of the site is tree covered.

I looked for Fallingwater without the 3-D buildings feature turned on and it's nowhere to be seen. Given that, I appreciate Google Earth's effort to include Fallingwater in it's collection of 3-D buildings.

Fallingwater, Mill Run, Pennsylvania