Wohnhaus Des Hr Heurtley, Oak Park, Ills.

Depicted here in exacting detail, the bold courses of the brick exterior of the Heurtley House are the most prominent feature of the home, affirming Wright’s association of his long and low Prairie houses with the line of the landscape. Although these alternating courses of projecting and recessed brick are distinctive within Wright’s oeuvre, his preference for long Roman brick and horizontally raked mortar joints also reinforced the horizontal line. The floor plans show Wright’s use of an “open plan” concept, minimizing barrier walls between living spaces. Symbolically, Wright placed the fireplace and inglenook near the center of the home, as a spiritual nexus for the family to gather around. To provide privacy for the owners, the main living spaces are sited on the second floor, where bands of art glass windows provide ample natural light.