Frank Lloyd Wright was not a nice guy. With a massive ego, a penchant for confrontation, and an inclination to spend more than he made, he left a trail of controversy throughout his life. But despite it all, he was one of America’s most prolific and important architects of the 20th Century.

He was born and grew up in Wisconsin, and I wasn’t going to miss a chance to see some of his work. Not having time to see everything I wanted, I settled on visits to his iconic Monona Terrace project in downtown Madison and seven properties in the area. His famous home, Taliesin, was close to an hour away, so I decided to focus on a cross-section of properties he designed for others.

The following pics try to capture the scope and feel of Monona Terrace, but don’t do justice to the scale.

The Unitarian Meeting House was Wright’s own place of worship. My time in Madison did not match the limited tour schedule or staff schedule, so I couldn’t see inside. This would’ve been the only site I could have entered; the remainder were all private homes. Designed in 1946 it was completed in 1951.

I was surprised at the state of disrepair of so many of these homes. It should be noted that several seemed to have work in progress. But most had untended yards and needed a fresh coat of paint at the very least.

The Pew house, designed in 1938, below was in the most need of work, and there was some scaffolding and piles of wood planks on site. The home faces the lake and is surrounded by larger homes. I wish some workers had been on site; I would’ve loved to know more.

The Gilmore “Airplane House” was built in 1908 and has become famous for its vertical lines, resulting in the nickname of “Airplane House.” It is considered “the essence of the Prairie School of Architecture.” Features include horizontal lines and features, sweeping eaves, and leaded casement windows.

Regarded as Wright’s first Usonian house, the Jacobs home was built in 1937 as a modern house for an average American family. It features a low profile and L-shaped plan and is very private from the street view.

The Van Tamelen Home was a prefab prototype experiment in 1956 to make Wright’s homes more affordable.

It’s hard for me to believe the Rudin House was also a prefab structure. Built a year later, in 1957, it displays the transition of his Usonian work, with large windows letting in lots of natural light. It’s reported to also feature a very open interior concept. This home is beautifully maintained and my favorite of the day.

The 1903 Lamp House was hidden behind other homes, and I almost missed it. Wright designed it for a childhood friend, and it looked in need of some serious attention. Just a few blocks from downtown and near the University of Wisconsin campus, it would be a shame to let this building fall into disrepair. The top floor was a later addition that replaced an elegant roof garden with grape arbors and a greenhouse. It was considered very modern and marked a transition from the Chicago School of Architecture to the Prairie School, which Wright called “New American”. Unbelievable to imagine today, but when built, it was positioned to maximize views of both area lakes.