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Summary
S. C. JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION & RESEARCH BUILDING
1525 Howe Street, Racine, Racine County
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright, Wesley W. Peters
Date of Construction: 1936-39; 1947
In 1936 Frank Lloyd Wright's innovative design for S.C. Johnson's international headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin rekindled his flagging career and cemented his position as America's leading architect. Using an original system of cantilever-slab construction, Wright along with son-in-law engineer, Wesley W. Peters, constructed the S.C. Johnson Administrative building out of brick and glass using the circle shape as the unifying element.
Completed in 1939, the S.C. Johnson Administrative building is lit by skylights and two wide bands of translucent tubing, encircling it just below the roofline and a few feet above eye level. The main office area is a single large room. The roof of this open plan space is supported by Wright¿s famous "lily pad" columns standing 22 feet high on 9 inch diameter bases.
In 1947 Wright designed a companion 14-story research tower. This building was the first to be constructed using no visible support under the outer walls. The floors are of alternating round and square concrete slabs jutting out from a hollow central core containing an elevator, stairway and utility infrastructure. The outer glass shell is hung from every other floor slab. This shell, like that of the original administration building, is formed of glass tubes laid up like exterior brickwork. Wright connected the administration building to the research tower with a bridge enclosed entirely with glass tubing and plate glass. The S.C. Johnson Administration building and Research Tower is still owned and occupied by Johnson Wax, Inc.
The administration building is open for tours by reservation only.
Property Details
| Criteria | Architecture/Engineering |
|---|---|
| Area Of Significance | Architecture,Engineering |
| Period of Significance | 1936-1947 |
| Architectural Style | Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements,Other |
| Architect | Peters,Wesley W.,Wright,Frank Lloyd |
| Resource Type | Building |
| Historic Use | Research Facility,Professional |
Resources Within The Property
| Contributing Buildings | 2 |
|---|---|
| Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Contributing Objects | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Buildings | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Objects | 0 |
Designations
| Historic Status | Listed in the National Register |
|---|---|
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Dec 27, 1974 |
| Historic Status | National Historic Landmark Status Granted |
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Jan 7, 1976 |
| Historic Status | Listed in the State Register |
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Jan 1, 1989 |
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
S.C. Johnson Wax Company Research Tower
1951
Nighttime elevated view of the S.C. Johnson Wax Company research tower, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
S.C. Johnson and Son Wax Co.
1944
Artist's rendering of the research and development tower and administration building of the S.C. Johnson and Son Wax Co.
Johnson Wax Administration Building & Research Tower
1951
Elevated view of the Johnson Wax administration building and research tower.
S.C. Johnson and Son, Inc. Office Building
1935
Exterior elevated view of the S.C. Johnson and Son, Inc. office building. Caption reads: "An authentic original in the world's modern architecture. The new headquarters office of S.C. Johnson & Son...
Johnson Wax Administration Building
1949
Elevated view of the Johnson Wax Administration Building taken at dusk with the circumferential bands of glass tubing lit.
