Wright Books and Publications

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Avery Library has collected scholarship on Frank Lloyd Wright since the beginning of the famed architect’s career. As a result, there are substantial resources on Wright in both the Avery Classics (rare book) and general research collections.

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Avery Classics (rare books)

Includes important editions of Wright’s most notable publications, often in multiple editions. Search for rare books by entering “Wright, Frank Lloyd” AND “Avery Classics.” Two examples:

  • Ausgeführte Bauten und Entwürfe, also known as the Wasmuth Portfolio, was composed of 100 plans, sections, perspective views and interior details of Wright’s buildings and project prior to 1910. Avery owns a copy that Wright gave to Douglas Haskell, the editor of The Architectural Forum, which is one of a small run printed on Japanese paper with occasional use of metallic ink that Wright gave as gifts.
  • Wendigen was an influential journal published by the Amsterdam art society Architectura et Amitcitia beginning in January 1918. The monthly magazine, which was focused on architecture, construction and the decorative arts, devoted numerous issues to Wright’s work, the first of which featured a cover designed by El Lissitzky.

In addition to these materials, Avery Classics also holds important 'association' copies of Wright's works - those owned by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, and those owned by Wright's son, John Lloyd Wright:

  • John Lloyd Wright donated his collection of books relating to his father, Frank, and to architecture more broadly. Among these titles is a copy of The House Beautiful, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, which contains an early sketch for Unity Temple. A list of these titles can be found by entering "Gift of John Lloyd Wright" into the search field. Once the search results appear, click on "View and filter all results" in the blue box directly under the search field. Finally, click "Book" under format at the left of the screen.
  • Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives books and publications acquired in 2012 are available for research and consultation. These items consist largely of Wright’s copies of his own writings and contemporary secondary sources on Wright’s career and projects. Highlights include Wright's annotated copy of The Japanese print: an interpretation and an edition of The Life-Work of the American Architect Frank Lloyd Wright inscribed to Wright from the editor Hendricus Wijdeveld. To find materials from Wright's personal collection in the Columbia University Libraries' online catalog enter "Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives" AND "Avery Classics" into the search field.
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Avery Library books and journals

To find books, journal titles, videos and archival collections by and about Frank Lloyd Wright in the general research collection, search Columbia University Libraries’ online catalog.

  • Search for general collection books by entering “Wright, Frank Lloyd” into the search box
  • Search for books about specific Wright projects or topics by entering keywords such as “Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum,” “Robie House,” “organic architecture” or “usonian houses”
  • Search for journal articles on Frank Lloyd Wright via the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, a comprehensive listing of journal articles published worldwide on architecture and design, archaeology, city planning, interior design, landscape architecture, and historic preservation.