Darwin D. Martin House

The Darwin Martin house stands as one of the largest and most significant commissions of Wright’s Chicago years. Like the Susan Lawrence Dana house, it serves as a bold expression of Wright’s powerful vision for a new American architecture. In his correspondence with Martin, Wright referred to the scheme as a “domestic symphony.” The sense of unity is revealed in every aspect of the design; the rectilinearity of the units that form the house’s T-shaped plan is reinforced by the geometry of its leaded-glass windows and custom-made furnishings. Clusters of piers in the expansive first story rooms allow for continuous bands of windows at the house’s perimeter. The piers marry distinct utilitarian and aesthetic elements by serving as structural supports, room dividers, and furniture pieces that encase radiators, light fixtures, bookcases, and shelving.