DAVID AND GLADYS WRIGHT HOUSE 1950 - 1955

 
Set of 31 historic photographs. David & Gladys Wright House the main level cantilevers past it and seems to float above the
1950-1955. Frank Lloyd Wright designed this home for his fourth ground.
child David, in March, 1950. Wright called the design "How to live        As you continue up the ramp, the outer side of the circular
in the Southwest", and was published in the June 1953, "House & ramp is enhances with one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most
Home." The lot was located in the middle of a citric grove, so elaborate built-in planters. It follows the full length of the ramp,
Wright designed the living space to float above the tree line. and includes built-in lighting and a babbling brook. As you reach
David owned a company that manufactured and distributed the top of the ramp you reach the entrance on the main level. To
concrete block. The decorative blocks were designed specifically the right of the entrance is a balcony and circular ramp, which
for this home. Others were standard blocks manufactured by his wraps around the kitchen to the rooftop sundeck above the living
company. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family.
  room.
       As originally designed by Wright, when visitors approach the        Upon entering the living room, the floor to ceiling windows on
home from the drive, they walk under the main level, across the the left open out to a balcony overlooking the garden court. The
garden court, past the pool, under the master bedroom which dining room on is one the right, and behind the fireplace on the
cantilevers over the ramp, to the base of the ramp. To the left is right is the kitchen. The three floor to ceiling double doors on the
the massive circular column which houses the bath/changing right open to a circular balcony that wraps around the dining room
room. The second level of the column is the master bedroom and all three bedrooms.
fireplace. Although the column anchors the eastern end of the        The gallery on the left lead to the three bedrooms. Windows
home, open and overlook the garden court.
     
Ground Level.
 

Main Level.
 
 1) Viewed from the Northeast, circa 1950-51. Footing channel can be seen in the foreground.
Excavation has begun for the pool to the left. Supporting piers can be seen in the background. A
couple can be seen in the center, female (seated, large hat), male (standing), most likely David and
Gladys Wright. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family.
(S#0831.37.0614-1)
 

2) Viewed from the North, circa 1950-51. Footing channel can be seen in the foreground for the
storage. Supporting piers can be seen in the background. The ground floor Utility / A/C room is on
 the right. A couple can be seen in the center, male (seated), female (standing with large hat), most
likely David and Gladys Wright. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David Gladys Wright
family. (S#0831.37.0614-2)
 

3) Viewed from the Northeast, circa 1950-51. Excavation for the pool is in the foreground. Supporting
piers can be seen in the background. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys
Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-3)
 
4) Viewed from the Southeast, circa 1950-51. Work is underway on the circular ramp and storage
room. Framework for the doorway can be seen at the end of the storage area. Excavation for the
pool is on the left. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family.
(S#0831.37.0614-4)
 

5) Viewed from the Southwest, circa 1950-51. Work is underway on the circular ramp and storage
room. Framework for the doorway is set in place. The back wall of the storage room is seen in the
background. 10 x 6 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family.
(S#0831.37.0614-5)
 
6) Viewed from the Southwest, circa 1950-51. The utility room is in the foreground. The circular ramp
and storage room are on the left in the background. Framework for the doorway is set in place. 10 x
6 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-6)
 

7) Viewed from the Southwest, circa 1950-51. Work is underway on the circular ramp and storage
room. Framework for the doorway is set in place. The back wall of the storage room is seen in the
background. 10 x 6 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family.
(S#0831.37.0614-7)
  

8) Viewed from the Southeast, circa 1950-51. Supporting pier is on the left. Changing room/bath and
supporting pier is in the center. Above the bath on the main level is a fireplace, that continues up
through the roof and becomes one of the two large round chimneys that extend above the roof line.
Pool area and ramp can be seen on the right. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David &
Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-8)
 

9) Circa 1950-51. Massive framework for setting the concrete slab for the floor of the main level.
Seven decorative blocks that cover the edges of the slab are set in place. Two supporting piers can
be seen below. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family.
(S#0831.37.0614-9)
 

10) Circa 1950-51. Rebar is set in place, and preparation is made for poring the concrete slab for the
"upper" main level. Decorative blocks can be seen on the left, which have been set in place and are
designed to contain the concrete. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright
family. (S#0831.37.0614-10)
 
 11) Circa 1950-51. A section of the concrete slab for the "upper" main level has been poured. 10 x
5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-11)
 

12) Viewed from the North, circa 1950-51. The walls of the pool and ramp are complete. The circular
pool bath is in the center. Work continues on the concrete slab for the "upper" main level. 10 x 5.75
B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-12)
 
13) Viewed from the Northeast, circa 1950-51. The pool has been filled. The circular pool bath is on
the right. The female standing in the center is possibly Gladys Wright. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph.
Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family.  (S#0831.37.0614-13)
 

14) Viewed from the West, circa 1950-51. The pool has been filled. The circular pool bath is on the
right. Two males playing in the pool. One could possibly be David’s son David Lloyd Wright and a
friend. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-
14)
  

15) Viewed from the Southeast, circa 1950-51. Work continues on the concrete slab for the "upper"
main level. Circular slab to the left of center is the slab for the living room. The section on the right is
the lower level storage area, doorway is visible. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David &
Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-15)
 

16) Viewed from the North, circa 1951. The concrete slab for the "upper" main level is complete.
Work on the walls have begun. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright
 family. (S#0831.37.0614-16)
 

17) Viewed from the North, circa 1951. View of the master bedroom which cantilevers to the left. The
concrete slab for the "upper" main level is complete. Work on the walls have begun. 10 x 5.75 B&W
photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-17)
 

18) Viewed from the East, circa 1951. View of the bedrooms, the master bedroom cantilevers over
 the ramp on the right. The concrete slab for the "upper" main level is complete. Work on the walls
have begun. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. (S#0831.37.0614-18) Courtesy of the David & Gladys
Wright family.
 

19) Viewed from the South, circa 1951. View of the bedrooms, the master bedroom cantilevers over
the ramp on the right. The walls along this section are complete. The solid walls with the half circular
windows are the bath walls. The main bath on the left, the master bath on the right. The floor to
ceiling openings will be double doors that open outward to the balcony that runs the full length of the
upper level. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. 
(S#0831.37.0614-19)
 
 20) Viewed from the Southeast, circa 1951. View of the entrance. Work continues on the walls. On
the lower level, the storage area is on the right. On the main level (upper), the completed wall on the
left is the coat closet. The figures are most likely the Wrights and two additional female friends. The
ramp on the right leads to the ground level. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David &
Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-20)
 

21) Viewed from the East, circa 1951. View of the dining room (left), kitchen (center) and fireplace
(right), from the living room. The three half-circular windows in the solid wall are in the dining room.
 The larger circular window in the center is in the kitchen. Work continues on the walls of the mail
level. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-
21)
 

22) Viewed from the East, circa 1951. View of the dining room (left), kitchen (center) and fireplace
(right), from the living room. The half-circular window in the solid wall is in the dining room. The larger
circular window in the center is in the kitchen. Work continues on the fireplace and walls of the mail
level. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-
22)
 
23) Viewed from the Southeast, circa 1951. The walls and roof are complete. Waiting for installation
of windows. The three openings on the left, on the main level are the doorways of the middle
bedroom, which opens outward onto the long circular balcony. The solid wall with the upper half-
circular window is the master bedroom. The master bedroom is on the right. Camelback Mountain
can be seen in the background on the right. 7 x 3 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys
Wright family.  (S#0831.37.0614-23)
 
 24) Viewed from the Northwest, circa 1953. Photographed from the entrance on the ground level. As
visitors approach the home from the drive, they walk under the main level, across the garden court to
the base of the ramp, up the circular ramp to the entrance on the main level. The lower level of the
large massive column houses the bath/changing room for the pool. The second level of the column is
the master bedroom fireplace. Although the column anchors the eastern end of the home, the main
level cantilevers past it and seems to float above the ground. The master bedroom is on the left, the
bedroom gallery is on the right. Photographed by Pedro E. Guerrero for the June issue of House &
Home. 10 x 6.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. (S#831.37.0614-
24)
 
25) Viewed from the South, circa 1953. The circular kitchen is on the left of the main level. The solid
wall with the three half-circular windows is the dining room. The living room is to the right. Three
double doors open out to the long circular balcony. Between the living room and the master bedroom
on the far right are two additional bedroom and two bathrooms. The circular ramp on the left, which
wraps around the kitchen, leads from the outer entrance on the main level to the rooftop sundeck
above the living room. Camelback Mountain can be seen in the background on the left. 10 x 5.75
B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-25)
 

26) Viewed from the South, circa 1953. The circular kitchen is on the left of the main level. The solid
wall with the three half-circular windows is the dining room. The living room is to the right. Three
double doors open out to the long circular balcony. A bedroom is on the right. The circular ramp on
the left, which wraps around the kitchen, leads from the outer entrance on the main level to the
rooftop sundeck above the living room. Landscaping is sparse. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy
of the David & Gladys Wright family.  (S#0831.37.0614-26)
 
 27) Viewed from the Northeast, circa 1955. Landscaping is mature. The circular ramp in the
foreground rises to the upper main level. The cantilevered master bedroom is on the left. Just to the
right of the massive chimney are the windows in the gallery. The large windows to the right of the
gallery is the living room. The entrance is to the right. 10 x 5.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the
David & Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-27)
 
28) Viewed from the Southeast, circa 1955. The circular ramp on the right rises to the upper main
level. The cantilevered master bedroom is on the right. Camelback Mountain can be seen in the
background on the far right. 10 x 6.75 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright
family. (S#0831.37.0614-28)
 
29) Viewed from the Southeast, circa 1955. The outer side of the circular ramp is enhances with one
of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most elaborate built-in planters. It follows the full length of the ramp, and
includes built-in lighting and a babbling brook. Hence the herons. Camelback Mountain can be seen
in the background. 10 x 6.5 B&W photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family.
(S#0831.37.0614-29)
 
 30) Viewed from the South, circa 1955. The outer side of the circular ramp is enhances with one of
Frank Lloyd Wright’s most elaborate built-in planters. It follows the full length of the ramp, and
includes built-in lighting and a babbling brook. Hence the herons. Camelback Mountain can be seen
in the background. 10 x 6.5 color photograph. Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family.
(S#0831.37.0614-30)
 

31) Viewed from the South, circa 1955-60. The circular kitchen is on the left of the main level. The
solid wall with the three half-circular windows is the dining room. The living room is to the right. Three
double doors open out to the long circular balcony. Between the living room and the master bedroom
on the far right are two additional bedroom and two bathrooms. The circular ramp on the left, which
wraps around the kitchen, leads from the outer entrance on the main level to the rooftop sundeck
above the living room. Camelback Mountain is in the background. 10 x 5.75 color photograph.
Courtesy of the David & Gladys Wright family. (S#0831.37.0614-31)