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Architecture's Odd Couple: Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson
In architectural terms, the twentieth century can be largely summed up with two Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson. Wright (1867–1959) began it with his romantic prairie style; Johnson (1906–2005) brought down the curtain with his spare postmodernist experiments. Between them, they built some of the most admired and discussed buildings in American history.
Differing radically in their views on architecture, Wright and Johnson shared a restless creativity, enormous charisma, and an outspokenness that made each man irresistible to the media. Often publicly at odds, they were the twentieth century's flint and steel; their repeated encounters consistently set off sparks. Yet as acclaimed historian Hugh Howard shows, their rivalry was also a fruitful artistic conversation, one that yielded new directions for both men. It was not despite but rather because of their contentious--and not always admiring--relationship that they were able so powerfully to influence history.
In Architecture's Odd Couple , Howard deftly traces the historical threads connecting the two men and offers readers a distinct perspective on the era they so enlivened with their designs. Featuring many of the structures that defined modern space--from Fallingwater to the Guggenheim, from the Glass House to the Seagram Building--this book presents an arresting portrait of modern architecture's odd couple and how they shaped the American landscape by shaping each other.
Differing radically in their views on architecture, Wright and Johnson shared a restless creativity, enormous charisma, and an outspokenness that made each man irresistible to the media. Often publicly at odds, they were the twentieth century's flint and steel; their repeated encounters consistently set off sparks. Yet as acclaimed historian Hugh Howard shows, their rivalry was also a fruitful artistic conversation, one that yielded new directions for both men. It was not despite but rather because of their contentious--and not always admiring--relationship that they were able so powerfully to influence history.
In Architecture's Odd Couple , Howard deftly traces the historical threads connecting the two men and offers readers a distinct perspective on the era they so enlivened with their designs. Featuring many of the structures that defined modern space--from Fallingwater to the Guggenheim, from the Glass House to the Seagram Building--this book presents an arresting portrait of modern architecture's odd couple and how they shaped the American landscape by shaping each other.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 24, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 17, 2017
I definitely enjoyed many parts of Architecture's Odd Couple but the author's premise of linking Frank Lloyd Wright and Phillip Johnson didn't really work for me. They did meet at times during the late career of Wright and the early days of Johnson but I suspect both men had relationships with others too. The best chapters are the insights and details of each individual's creations. The long saga of the design and construction of the Guggenheim Museum is extremely interesting and well told. The story of Fallingwater adds new details about Wright's design and the response by the architecture media as well as public reaction. I've always considered Wright to be an architectural innovator with his buildings rooted in his own philosophy about structures--inside and out-- and their surroundings. Johnson started as a curator at MOMA, and was heavily influenced by the Modern master Mies van der Rohe. Johnson's Glass House was clearly influenced by a Mies house. The story of the Seagram Building in NYC is another strong chapter; I learned that the design and decoration of the Four Seasons Restaurant in the Seagram Building was Johnson's creation. All and all an enjoyable read.
August 27, 2016
Wonderfully described cantankerous relationship between two of our most gifted and loved architects of the 20th century.
I rarely designate a five star rating to anything I read or see on the screen, in this case I was engulfed by this writer's work. The sheer depth of passion, contradiction and love shared by Wright and Johnson over so many years so well described by the writer gave me a feeling of almost abiding inside their respective souls. I grew up in Pennsylvania and knew about "Falling Water", had seen it in my childhood but had not actually visited the location (I lived near Scranton, Pennsylvania) which is about three hundred miles distant. I've admired Frank Loyd Wright's fabulous work ever since. I was not aware these two great architects were diametrically opposed to each other's design ideas and that Johnson described himself a "pasticheur". Great informative reading.
I rarely designate a five star rating to anything I read or see on the screen, in this case I was engulfed by this writer's work. The sheer depth of passion, contradiction and love shared by Wright and Johnson over so many years so well described by the writer gave me a feeling of almost abiding inside their respective souls. I grew up in Pennsylvania and knew about "Falling Water", had seen it in my childhood but had not actually visited the location (I lived near Scranton, Pennsylvania) which is about three hundred miles distant. I've admired Frank Loyd Wright's fabulous work ever since. I was not aware these two great architects were diametrically opposed to each other's design ideas and that Johnson described himself a "pasticheur". Great informative reading.
December 11, 2016
Did not finish. It's definitive - I really do not like biographies whose substance is 'who did what and when'.
November 21, 2021
In Architecture's Odd Couple, Hugh Howard explores the personality and aesthetic tension between Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson.
Frank Lloyd Wright is associated with the Prairie School movement. I summarize it as follows: the built environment should rise from its natural environment. FLW described this style as "organic," but I found that word, which for me conjures up images of plants, misleading. I think his buildings are better understood as fitting into their topography, and they often are nestled into hillsides. He emphasizes horizontal lines and is happy to defy principles of symmetry. Look up Fallingwater and Taliesin for two representative works. Unsurprisingly, his style seems to struggle in cities, as can be seen in NYC's Guggenheim Museum (imho, an eye sore).
Johnson is probably best understood within the international style, which emphasizes volume without mass. I associate the international style with clean, often vertical, lines. Lots of glass would be a quick summary of the international style, and Johnson's most famous structure is likely the Glass House. The Seagram Building is also representative of both Johnson and the International Style. Johnson was willing to break with the style at times, as can be seen in 500 Madison Avenue (the AT&T Building) in NYC, so be careful not to squeeze him too firmly into the "international style" box.
I didn't care for the personal squabbles but I found the aesthetic content interesting, perhaps in part because I know almost nothing about architecture. One thing I like about books like this is they help me to see the world around me, in this case, the built environment, differently. 3.5 stars.
A few quotes as notes.
Frank Lloyd Wright is associated with the Prairie School movement. I summarize it as follows: the built environment should rise from its natural environment. FLW described this style as "organic," but I found that word, which for me conjures up images of plants, misleading. I think his buildings are better understood as fitting into their topography, and they often are nestled into hillsides. He emphasizes horizontal lines and is happy to defy principles of symmetry. Look up Fallingwater and Taliesin for two representative works. Unsurprisingly, his style seems to struggle in cities, as can be seen in NYC's Guggenheim Museum (imho, an eye sore).
Johnson is probably best understood within the international style, which emphasizes volume without mass. I associate the international style with clean, often vertical, lines. Lots of glass would be a quick summary of the international style, and Johnson's most famous structure is likely the Glass House. The Seagram Building is also representative of both Johnson and the International Style. Johnson was willing to break with the style at times, as can be seen in 500 Madison Avenue (the AT&T Building) in NYC, so be careful not to squeeze him too firmly into the "international style" box.
I didn't care for the personal squabbles but I found the aesthetic content interesting, perhaps in part because I know almost nothing about architecture. One thing I like about books like this is they help me to see the world around me, in this case, the built environment, differently. 3.5 stars.
A few quotes as notes.
April 4, 2025
I’d been meaning to delve deeper into the figure of Philip Johnson for a while, but wasn’t sure which book to start with. To satisfy a mostly visual curiosity, I picked up "Philip Johnson: A Visual Biography", which enriched and deepened what I knew of the man, but I still felt the need to go further. So I narrowed it down to three choices: the official biography by Franz Schulze (1994), Mark Lamster’s more recent take (2018), and this wildcard — a double biography of Johnson and Frank Lloyd Wright.
I went for the latter because the face-off felt irresistible: two larger-than-life personalities, endless sources of anecdotes, and two pivotal figures in the history of American architecture. And the book absolutely delivers on that promise.
At its core, it traces all the moments where the two architects crossed paths — both in real life and at specific points in time when some of their most iconic buildings took shape (for instance, the Guggenheim and the Seagram Building). A whole section is also devoted to the MoMA years.
My overall impression was that I’d just read a long, agile magazine article. The approach is sharp and unconventional: the two subjects aren’t treated like in a traditional biography, with the usual parade of childhood, education, and works. Instead, we get straight to the hot spots, the memorable stories, the irresistible moments.
In my case, it left me wanting even more. I’d already read "Many Masks: A Life of Frank Lloyd Wright" by Brendan Gill (1987), and that’s the level of immersion I’m still after — a full dive into Johnson’s life. I believe he deserves it. So next up for me is probably the Lamster biography, which seems highly promising.
That said, I’m glad I read this one. It’s a book that doesn’t try to be exhaustive, but still manages to say a lot — and say it well — in a more-or-less short amount of space.
I went for the latter because the face-off felt irresistible: two larger-than-life personalities, endless sources of anecdotes, and two pivotal figures in the history of American architecture. And the book absolutely delivers on that promise.
At its core, it traces all the moments where the two architects crossed paths — both in real life and at specific points in time when some of their most iconic buildings took shape (for instance, the Guggenheim and the Seagram Building). A whole section is also devoted to the MoMA years.
My overall impression was that I’d just read a long, agile magazine article. The approach is sharp and unconventional: the two subjects aren’t treated like in a traditional biography, with the usual parade of childhood, education, and works. Instead, we get straight to the hot spots, the memorable stories, the irresistible moments.
In my case, it left me wanting even more. I’d already read "Many Masks: A Life of Frank Lloyd Wright" by Brendan Gill (1987), and that’s the level of immersion I’m still after — a full dive into Johnson’s life. I believe he deserves it. So next up for me is probably the Lamster biography, which seems highly promising.
That said, I’m glad I read this one. It’s a book that doesn’t try to be exhaustive, but still manages to say a lot — and say it well — in a more-or-less short amount of space.
July 19, 2023
Probably only interesting to architecture geeks. Despite Howard's early statement that Wright & Johnson were the iconic architects of the 20th Century, his epilogue acknowledges that Johnson was a far slighter architect and is largely forgotten. Johnson's iconic glass house was ripped off from Mies van der Rohe. The Seagram building's structure is Mies with Johnson filling in the sumptuous details the Seagram budget allowed.
Their interplay is interesting, as both were amazingly egocentric. Neither played nicely with anyone. Wright was a self-made eccentric and wholly original genius; Johnson, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, funded by Alcoa stock from his father, was a dilettante who couldn't draw and succeeded largely by plucking motifs from architectural history. Johnson's flirtation with Hitler and Nazism is emblematic of his authoritarian leanings and integral lack of depth.
Mostly useful for insights into Wright's iconic late works: Fallingwater and the Guggenheim in particular.
Their interplay is interesting, as both were amazingly egocentric. Neither played nicely with anyone. Wright was a self-made eccentric and wholly original genius; Johnson, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, funded by Alcoa stock from his father, was a dilettante who couldn't draw and succeeded largely by plucking motifs from architectural history. Johnson's flirtation with Hitler and Nazism is emblematic of his authoritarian leanings and integral lack of depth.
Mostly useful for insights into Wright's iconic late works: Fallingwater and the Guggenheim in particular.
October 23, 2018
A detailed and interesting insight into the 20th century architectural dialectic between America’s two big fish in a small pond.
All in all, we come to learn that the two biggest architects of the era are in fact quite the squabble pair; Johnson’s facetiousness manages to land his homosexual rattle into the rather ironic lap of Hitler’s fascist regime, whilst Wright’s multi-faceted approach to organic principles amounts to an almost creationist view of the world in which he himself plays God, with no room left in the Garden of Taliesin for libertines such as Philip Johnson to be gaying up the place.
Yet, they both manage to put aside their ideological differences, and crucially, both men come together to conclude that they kidnapped their life’s work from Europe (as all the yanks do). More accurately speaking, directly from the drafting table of a German man who couldn’t speak a word of “American” to defend himself (it’s not theft if it’s done on home soil, right?).
All in all, we come to learn that the two biggest architects of the era are in fact quite the squabble pair; Johnson’s facetiousness manages to land his homosexual rattle into the rather ironic lap of Hitler’s fascist regime, whilst Wright’s multi-faceted approach to organic principles amounts to an almost creationist view of the world in which he himself plays God, with no room left in the Garden of Taliesin for libertines such as Philip Johnson to be gaying up the place.
Yet, they both manage to put aside their ideological differences, and crucially, both men come together to conclude that they kidnapped their life’s work from Europe (as all the yanks do). More accurately speaking, directly from the drafting table of a German man who couldn’t speak a word of “American” to defend himself (it’s not theft if it’s done on home soil, right?).
August 26, 2018
Prior to this book, I had read very little about Frank Lloyd Wright and nothing about Philip Johnson. So the book is an excellent opportunity to learn more about both architects and some of their signature works. While they didn't interact enough to have the kind of long-term relationship implied by the title, they did clearly influence one another (Johnson admitted that he was hesitant to commit full time to an architecture career until Wright told him to get off the fence). Sadly, both men engaged in some petty sniping toward each other, and toward others, so we see them both at their worst.
I'm mystified that the other doesn't even mention Wright's Child of the Sun project, the collection of buildings he designed for Florida Southern College. It's the largest single-site collection of FLW works. The first building was dedicated in 1941, so the project was clearly significant during the time period covered by the book.
Johnson's role as a Nazi sympathizer is more problematic. I don't expect the author to judge Johnson's behavior, that's not his role. While Mr. Howard does report these events, I felt that he downplayed not only Johnson's fondness for the Third Reich, but his attempts to cover up reporting of that fact in later years.
Despite some omissions, it's still a fascinating read.
I'm mystified that the other doesn't even mention Wright's Child of the Sun project, the collection of buildings he designed for Florida Southern College. It's the largest single-site collection of FLW works. The first building was dedicated in 1941, so the project was clearly significant during the time period covered by the book.
Johnson's role as a Nazi sympathizer is more problematic. I don't expect the author to judge Johnson's behavior, that's not his role. While Mr. Howard does report these events, I felt that he downplayed not only Johnson's fondness for the Third Reich, but his attempts to cover up reporting of that fact in later years.
Despite some omissions, it's still a fascinating read.
September 8, 2024
Even if you think you’ve heard an awful lot about both Philip Johnson and Frank Lloyd Wright, there are vignettes in this book that flesh out the stories of both. It’s an odd pretext for a book, since the two larger-than-life characters feel so distinct/separate, but Howard more than makes the case that their interactions (and intentional avoidances) add up to a prickly path of side-eyed, begrudging respect and influence.
May 18, 2017
DNF - Normally I'm not the kind of person that won't finish a book but I struggled to get even a quarter of the way through the book. The timeline was difficult to follow. I was disappointed because this author made great books before but I just couldn't get into this book.
October 3, 2017
Howard looks at the intertwined careers of Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson and how the two men fought and agreed about architecture. Both were iconoclasts who tried to remake the world in their own image. A fascinating dual biography.
March 6, 2018
Interesting juxtaposition of two flawed by great 20th century architects. Good for those who don't want to delve too deeply into architectural details, and it makes me want to visit the various buildings described. At times the attempt to weave connections between Wright and Johnson is strained.
July 19, 2023
A bit of a tenuous connection to draw between the two, but a great detailing of the contrasting careers of a stubbornly individual master and genius of the art as compared to a stylistic student of great contemporary and historical influences.
October 2, 2017
Fascinating information about one of my favorite people ( Wright) and an lesser known ( to me- Johnson). A good read of a fascinating relationship!
July 3, 2016
I find the term "starchitect" quite interesting. It's a term that's propped up in the past 10 or so years and is applied to architects who are "stars"; both in their professions and in today's culture. Their museum buildings, for instance, may be more famous than what's housed within. Do people travel to Bilbao, Spain to see American architect Frank Gehry's Guggenheim museum building...or the art it contains? Daniel Libeskind's Jewish Museum in Berlin - interesting on the outside - was practically unusable for this museum-goer a few years ago. And don't get me started on Peter Eisenman's completely weird field of stones at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews, also in Berlin. I stand there and go "huh?" (The museum underground, though, is one of the best I've ever been to and is well-worth the visit.) But, okay, enough of me and my old-fashioned ideas that buildings should be both functional and understandable.
Who were considered - instead of today's "starchitects" - yesterday's "star architects"? According to author Hugh Howard,in his book, "Architecture's Odd Couple: Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson" the leading two would have been Wright and Johnson. Both men - who knew and influenced each other in Wright's later years and Johnson's earlier ones - along with others like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, have been the defining and innovative architects from the early 1900's to the early 2000's. Highlighting Wright's "Fallingwater" and Johnson's "Glass House" - as well as Mies' "Villa Tugendhat" - Howard gives his readers an in-depth look at how all three house designs influenced each other's work but also architectural design in general. Clients hired Wright, Johnson, and Mies for something "different" and yet, "livable". (You might quibble about living in a totally glass house, but Philip Johnson certainly was able to live in his for years. Though I wonder if he used the non-glassed "guest house", too...)
Hugh Howard also examines their commercial buildings, both in the designing and building, as well as the back stories of how they came to be. And he looks at the personal interplay between the two men, who seemed to both admire and dislike the other. Sort of the new term "frenemy" applies? Howard writes a bit more about Frank Lloyd Wright than he does Philip Johnson; he definitely thinks Wright was the more lasting influence on design. The book is also well illustrated. But no matter whose work you might prefer, you'll find Hugh Howard's book great reading.
(For more on Philip Johnson, you can read Franz Schulze's marvelous bio on Johnson, "Philip Johnson: Life and Work", published in 1994. It's one of the best full biographies I've read. And for a wonderful fictional look at the Villa Tugendhat in Brno, Czech Republic, seek out Simon Mawrer's "The Glass Room". )
Who were considered - instead of today's "starchitects" - yesterday's "star architects"? According to author Hugh Howard,in his book, "Architecture's Odd Couple: Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson" the leading two would have been Wright and Johnson. Both men - who knew and influenced each other in Wright's later years and Johnson's earlier ones - along with others like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, have been the defining and innovative architects from the early 1900's to the early 2000's. Highlighting Wright's "Fallingwater" and Johnson's "Glass House" - as well as Mies' "Villa Tugendhat" - Howard gives his readers an in-depth look at how all three house designs influenced each other's work but also architectural design in general. Clients hired Wright, Johnson, and Mies for something "different" and yet, "livable". (You might quibble about living in a totally glass house, but Philip Johnson certainly was able to live in his for years. Though I wonder if he used the non-glassed "guest house", too...)
Hugh Howard also examines their commercial buildings, both in the designing and building, as well as the back stories of how they came to be. And he looks at the personal interplay between the two men, who seemed to both admire and dislike the other. Sort of the new term "frenemy" applies? Howard writes a bit more about Frank Lloyd Wright than he does Philip Johnson; he definitely thinks Wright was the more lasting influence on design. The book is also well illustrated. But no matter whose work you might prefer, you'll find Hugh Howard's book great reading.
(For more on Philip Johnson, you can read Franz Schulze's marvelous bio on Johnson, "Philip Johnson: Life and Work", published in 1994. It's one of the best full biographies I've read. And for a wonderful fictional look at the Villa Tugendhat in Brno, Czech Republic, seek out Simon Mawrer's "The Glass Room". )
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December 31, 2016Hugh Howard's Architect's Odd Couple in a thorough, enjoyable examination of the evolution of Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson contributions of perhaps the two most important American architects of the 20th Century. Their relationship was complex, prickly, and at times bordered on hostility. But that evolving relationship is at the heart of the book. They came to admire each other despite each's strong opinions about their own work and of their counterpart.
Mr. Howard is an experienced author about American architecture whose writing is both engaging and informative. Don't skip his Epilogue, "A Friendly Wrangle", since he really offers comparative evaluations of Wright and Johnson. It contains such gems as "it is clear that he (Johnson) and Wright had shared a rare gift: Both possessed the capacity for personal reinvention--and both exercised it over their long lives" p.275-276
If you are interested in architectural Modernism and 20th Century American architecture, you will likely enjoy this book. I certainly did.
Mr. Howard is an experienced author about American architecture whose writing is both engaging and informative. Don't skip his Epilogue, "A Friendly Wrangle", since he really offers comparative evaluations of Wright and Johnson. It contains such gems as "it is clear that he (Johnson) and Wright had shared a rare gift: Both possessed the capacity for personal reinvention--and both exercised it over their long lives" p.275-276
If you are interested in architectural Modernism and 20th Century American architecture, you will likely enjoy this book. I certainly did.
March 31, 2016
I received this book via Goodread Giveaway.
This was a very informative and quite enjoyable book!
This was a very informative and quite enjoyable book!
September 21, 2016
for two men who loved architecture they had little in common
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