The School of Architecture

Founding of the Taliesin Fellowship

In 1931 Frank Lloyd Wright and his wife, Olgivanna, circulated a prospectus to an international group of distinguished scholars, artists, and friends, announcing their plan to form a school at Taliesin in Spring Green where students would “Learn by Doing.”  Education at Taliesin emphasized painting, sculpture, music, drama, and dance “in their places as divisions of architecture.” Each of these elements of the fine arts, as the Wrights conceived them, would lead to broader learning.

The ambitious plan for an endowed school exceeded the Wrights’ capacity to attract funds in the second full year of the Great Depression, so the school was founded as an apprenticeship program in 1932 instead. Wright also expressed his disdain for conventional architecture schools,^[2] cautioning "Beware of architectural schools except as the exponent of engineering."^[3] In 1939, Wright advised the Royal Institute of British Architects that "I do not want you to have the idea that Taliesin is a school, or a community. It happens to be our home and where we work, and these young people are my comrade apprentices: no scholars. They come to help, and if they can learn-well, we are very happy."^[4]

During the years of the Taliesin Fellowship, Wright's apprentices worked on important Wright projects including the Johnson Wax Headquarters, Fallingwater, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The apprenticeship program continued after the school gained formal accreditation in 1986, and the apprentices would be engaged in the design and operational activities of Taliesin Associated Architects on projects like Monona Terrace, until the Wright's legacy firm disbanded in 2003.

Accreditation as The Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture

The apprenticeship program, the Taliesin Fellowship, evolved into the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, which was established in response to changing licensing requirements for architects, particularly the requirement to graduate from an accredited institution prior to sitting for the Architect Registration Examination. Rather than allow the school to become obsolete, the school acquired the necessary accreditation to continue although some may question the decision to create an accredited architecture school from Wright's apprenticeship program, given his antipathy for architecture schools--"Beware of architectural schools except as the exponent of engineering."^[3] Despite this internal discord, the school pressed on, and under the leadership of Dean Tom Casey, became a fully accredited program in 1986.

In 2014, the school's accreditation was challenged by the Higher Learning Commission based on new regulations that required it to have independent budgeting and governance from its parent organization, The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.^[5][6] This was resolved by 2017, when the school separated legally from the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and changed its name to The School of Architecture at Taliesin. However, the school remained on its historic campuses of Taliesin and Taliesin West.

The school maintained its accreditation through 2020 following the closure announcement by establishing itself as an independent entity and moving to a new historic campus.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Becoming The School of Architecture

Despite an announcement on January 28, 2020, that the school would cease operations on both campuses and close by June 2020,^[11][7][12] the school remains open and continues to educate Master of Architecture students. According to this announcement, the school's governing board determined that "the School did not have a sustainable business model that would allow it to maintain its operation as an accredited program."^[13] This announcement followed the failure of discussions between the board and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation about the creation of new, non-accredited educational programs.^[12] At the time of the announcement, the school indicated they were negotiating an agreement for the 30 currently enrolled students to transfer to The Design School at ASU's Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.^[12][13]

It was reported that prior to the closure announcement, the school and the foundation were in talks to develop alternative educational programming that did not require accreditation.^[12] According to the foundation, the proposals that emerged from these discussions were not approved by the school's board.^[13]

Six weeks after announcing the pending closure, the school's board of directors reversed course and announced that the school had received new funding and was financially viable.^[14][15] However, the agreement between the Foundation and School expired by its own terms on July 31, 2020.^[16] As of March 11, 2020, the school board expressed its intention to continue school operations and reopened admissions, despite no resolution with the Foundation being reached at that time.^[17][18]

In 2020, the school moved to the historic campuses of Cosanti and Arcosanti and changing its name to The School of Architecture.^[1]

Discover more about History related topics

Olgivanna Lloyd Wright

Olgivanna Lloyd Wright

Olgivanna Lloyd Wright was the third and final wife of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. They met in November 1924 and married in 1928. In 1932 the couple founded Wright's architectural apprentice program and the Taliesin Fellowship. In 1940, Olgivanna and Frank founded the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation with their son-in-law, William Wesley "Wes" Peters. Olgivanna became the President of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation upon her husband's death in 1959. She remained the president until a month before her death in 1985.

Great Depression

Great Depression

The Great Depression (1929–1939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagion began around September and led to the Wall Street stock market crash of October 24. It was the longest, deepest, and most widespread depression of the 20th century.

Johnson Wax Headquarters

Johnson Wax Headquarters

Johnson Wax Headquarters is the world headquarters and administration building of S. C. Johnson & Son in Racine, Wisconsin. Designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright for the company's president, Herbert F. "Hib" Johnson, the building was constructed from 1936 to 1939. Its distinctive "lily pad" columns and other innovations revived Wright's career at a point when he was losing influence. Also known as the Johnson Wax Administration Building, it and the nearby 14-story Johnson Wax Research Tower were designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1976 as Administration Building and Research Tower, S.C. Johnson and Son.

Fallingwater

Fallingwater

Fallingwater is a house designed by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935 in the Laurel Highlands of southwest Pennsylvania, about 70 miles (110 km) southeast of Pittsburgh in the United States. It is built partly over a waterfall on Bear Run in the Mill Run section of Stewart Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The house was designed to serve as a weekend retreat for Liliane and Edgar J. Kaufmann, the owner of Pittsburgh's Kaufmann's Department Store.

Monona Terrace

Monona Terrace

Monona Terrace is a convention center on the shores of Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin.

Architect Registration Examination

Architect Registration Examination

The Architect Registration Examination (ARE) is the professional licensure examination adopted by the 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories. The exam is also accepted by 11 provincial and territorial architectural associations for architectural registration in Canada. The ARE assesses candidates on the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for providing services in the practice of architecture.

Higher Learning Commission

Higher Learning Commission

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The headquarters of the organization is in Chicago, Illinois.

Taliesin (studio)

Taliesin (studio)

Taliesin, sometimes known as Taliesin East, Taliesin Spring Green, or Taliesin North after 1937, is a property located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of the village of Spring Green, Wisconsin, United States. It was the estate of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright and an extended exemplar of the Prairie School of architecture. The 600-acre (240 ha) property was developed on land that originally belonged to Wright's maternal family.

Arizona State University

Arizona State University

Arizona State University is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the United States.

Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona is the largest comprehensive design and arts school in the country, located within a dynamic research university focused on transformative change. Built on a unique combination of disciplines, the Herberger Institute comprises the Schools of Art; Arts, Media and Engineering; Music, Dance and Theatre; The Design School; The Sidney Poitier New American Film School, and the ASU Art Museum. The Herberger Institute is committed to redefining the 21st-century design and arts school through developing and scaling ideas that strengthen the role of designers and artists across all areas of society and culture, increasing the capacity of artists to make a difference in their communities.

Cosanti

Cosanti

Cosanti is the gallery and studio of Italian-American architect Paolo Soleri; it was his residence until his death in 2013. Located in Paradise Valley, Arizona, USA, it is now an Arizona Historic Site open to the public. Cosanti is marked by terraced landscaping, experimental earth-formed concrete structures, and sculptural wind-bells.

Arcosanti

Arcosanti

Arcosanti is a projected experimental town with a bronze bell casting business in Yavapai County, central Arizona, United States, 70 mi (110 km) north of Phoenix, at an elevation of 3,732 feet (1,138 m). Its arcology concept was proposed by Italian-American architect Paolo Soleri (1919–2013). He began construction in 1970 to demonstrate how urban conditions could be improved while minimizing the destructive impact on the Earth. He taught and influenced generations of architects and urban designers who studied and worked with him there to build the proposed town.

The school offers a three-year, project-based Master of Architecture degree, with a focus on organic architecture. The school is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board and the Higher Learning Commission. The school offers a unique hand-on design build program that encourages design exploration and experimentation. It also offers courses that preserve Wright's legacy of teaching architecture holistically.

Discover more about Academics related topics

Master of Architecture

Master of Architecture

The Master of Architecture is a professional degree in architecture qualifying the graduate to move through the various stages of professional accreditation that result in receiving a license.

Organic architecture

Organic architecture

Organic architecture is a philosophy of architecture which promotes harmony between human habitation and the natural world. This is achieved through design approaches that aim to be sympathetic and well-integrated with a site, so buildings, furnishings, and surroundings become part of a unified, interrelated composition.

National Architectural Accrediting Board

National Architectural Accrediting Board

The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), established in 1940, is the oldest accrediting agency for architectural education in the United States. The NAAB accredits professional degrees in architecture offered by institutions with U.S. regional accreditation. Currently, there are 153 accredited programs offered by 123 institutions. The NAAB develops standards and procedures appropriate for the education of architects. These standards are developed by architectural educators, practitioners, regulators, and students.

Higher Learning Commission

Higher Learning Commission

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The headquarters of the organization is in Chicago, Illinois.

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Students become part of a community of thinkers and creators, each doing their fair share to guide the School's traditions into the future. In a place that consists of great architecture and infused by all the arts, students are encouraged to engage in the discourse of architecture amongst each other, as well as with the professors who serve as creative mentors throughout the immersive experience. Because most of the members of the community live, eat, and work onsite, students will feel intertwined and involved with their work, their surroundings, and themselves.

The student's body is governed by its own elected student government which is elected on an annual basis by simple majority vote. The students operate their own website, social media, and magazine, known as WASH.^[19]

The school has been awarded numerous grants from the Graham Foundation for its student publications.