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Summary
Burnham Street District
2700 block, West Burnham Street, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright
Date of Construction: 1916
The Burnham Street District was part of the American Built-System Homes project funded by Arthur L. Richards and designed by the recognized master architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright designed these as low cost factory produced houses. Six American Built-System Homes were erected in this middle working class neighborhood. Four of the houses contain two-family apartments; the other two are small, single-family cottages of differing designs.
The three building designs are characteristic of Wright's Prairie work. He believed in the universality of fundamental geometrical forms, seen here in the repetition of rectangular shapes and horizontal elements. The low slung lines, broad overhangs and spare detailing is distinctively Wright. A prominent feature of his designs is the incorporation of built-in furniture that is scaled to the "naturally grown interior."
The Richards Company, established by Arthur L. Richards, marketed American Built-System Homes worldwide, but met with little success following the completion of these model homes. This standardized system represents a Wright's pioneering work with "mass produced" housing that became a prominent theme throughout his career.
The buildings are now privately owned, please respect the privacy rights of the owners.
Property Details
| Criteria | Architecture/Engineering |
|---|---|
| Area Of Significance | Architecture |
| Period of Significance | 1915-1916 |
| Architectural Style | Prairie School |
| Architect | Wright,Frank Lloyd |
| Resource Type | District |
| Historic Use | Single Dwelling,Multiple Dwelling |
Resources Within The Property
| Contributing Buildings | 6 |
|---|---|
| Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Contributing Objects | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Buildings | 1 |
| 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 | Sep 12, 1985 |
| 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.
American System-Built House Model B23
1916
Black and red halftone print of a perspective drawing of Model Home B23. Frank Lloyd Wright outlined his vision of affordable housing. He asserted that the home would have to go to the factory, ins...
American System-Built House Model A243
1916
Black and red halftone print of the Model Home A243 interior perspective drawing. Frank Lloyd Wright outlined his vision of affordable housing. He asserted that the home would have to go to the fac...
American System-Built House Model C3
1916
Black and red halftone print of the Model Home C3 perspective drawing. Frank Lloyd Wright outlined his vision of affordable housing. He asserted that the home would have to go to the factory, inste...
American System-Built House Model B11
1916
Black and red halftone print of the Model Home B11 perspective drawing. Frank Lloyd Wright outlined his vision of affordable housing. He asserted that the home would have to go to the factory, inst...
American System-Built House Model J902
1916
Black and red halftone print of the Model Home J902 perspective drawing. Frank Lloyd Wright outlined his vision of affordable housing. He asserted that the home would have to go to the factory, ins...
American System-Built House Model A4
1916
Black and red halftone print of the Model Home A4 exterior perspective drawing. Frank Lloyd Wright outlined his vision of affordable housing. He asserted that the home would have to go to the facto...
