USONIAN

ARCHITECTURE

In 1936 when USA was in the depths of an economic

depression,Frank lloyd Wright developed the concept of
Usonian architecture.
He developed the series of homes called Usonian homes.
Main focus of this was to control the cost of the houses.
There were no attics,no basement in the houses.
Little ornamentation were in the Usonian houses.
Main objective in this design was to make the affordable
houses during difficult financial times.
Simplification in all aspects of construction not only in design
was the only way to achieve this.

CHARACTERISTICS OF USONIAN
ARCHITECTURE
Grew from Praire style homes,it features low roofs and open living
areas.
Use of brick,wood and glass as a material.
These were mainly the houses for the common people.
The idea behind the Usonian houses was the planning,harmony
with nature and simple design.
There were large windows in the usonia houses.

HERBERT JACOBS
HOUSE
Year of construction: 1936-1937
Location: Madison,Wisconson,USA
Client: Herbert and Katherine Jacob

HISTORY
Herbert and katherine jacobs first house commonly referred
as Jacobs 1,is a single family home located in Madison,Wisconson
in the United States.
It was constructed in 1937 and mostly it is considered to be first
Usonian house.
Madison newspaperman challenged the wright to design a home
for 5000 dollars,then wright designed this L-shape home with an
open floor plan and two bedrooms
To economize cost Wright developed 57mm plywood sandwich
wall for this house.

oncept of Architect:
nity of structure
nclousure premises
hape and ornamentation in unique building system

Spaces
Situated on a plot of an acre corner building is in the form of L.it
seems that building hugs the ground,giving back to the cold
northern winds and protected from view from the street completely
turning the garden into which open living and bedrooms.
The L-shape plan of house places the living room in one wing and
bedrooms in the other
To conserve on plumbing costs ,the work space and bath are kept
juncture
The ceiling height in workspace is higher than rest of the houses,to
provide both clerestorey for lighting and ventilation.
Access:the dual access to the house is on the outside corner of the
L.
The wing surface contains the largest room,the piece better
targeted active space or a day.
The dining area or kitchen zigzag open to the dining room.

Architectural characters/components
EXTERIOR
INTERIOR
Dominant horizontal lines
Flat roofs with overhangs
Natural materials like brick,
wood etc.

Simplicity above all

Modular furniture
Integral decoration

Carports in the houses

Free standing pieces

Concrete slab in the houses

Architectural element or
characters of usonian architecture
first appeared in malcolm willey
house.
Lapped board parapets replaced
clapboard and masonry rising
directly out of the ground without
the stylobate of the praire house.
Supporting elements were
masonry wall of stone,concrete
block

Inexpensive materials
Warm colours in interior
Simple textiles in the
houses.

Spaces

Materials
it is mainly made up of brick and wood.jacobs is the first residence
of three important features of construction which were later used in
all Usonian homes
Both the interior and exterior walls,the slats of plywood with a core
surrounded by an impermeable membrane and screwed on both the
sides.This eliminates the need of the plaster or other decoration on
the same Usonian rediments of the first house.
Glass has been used in the herbert jacobs house for large windows.