Lecture Recap and Video: Lisa Schrenk on 'An Architect's Laboratory: The Early Studio of Frank Lloyd Wright'

Between 1898 and 1909, Frank Lloyd Wright’s residential studio in the idyllic suburb of Oak Park, Illinois served as an architectural laboratory as its owner formulated his iconic design ideology and matured into a leader in his field. This talk will explore the significance of the Oak Park studio in the development of Wright’s early career, including the numerous changes he made to his workplace as he experimented with building elements and the shaping of space. It will also address the evolution of the architectural operations that took place within its walls and the impact of its unusual suburban location.

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About Lisa Schrenk

Lisa D. Schrenk PhD is associate professor of architectural history at the University of Arizona and former education director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation (Frank Lloyd Wright Trust). Her research on international expositions and the early work of Frank Lloyd Wright has resulted in numerous publications, including the books Building a Century of Progress: The Architecture of Chicago’s 1933-34 World’s Fair and The Oak Park Studio of Frank Lloyd Wright. Schrenk has served on the Board of Directors for the Society of Architectural Historians and as president of the Chicago Society of Architectural Historians. She is a cofounder of the Institute for the Study of International Expositions and initiated the Women in Architecture Society at the University of Arizona. Her photography includes documenting works of architecture in over 85 countries, including while teaching on two around-the-world Semester at Sea voyages.