S. A. Foster House and Stable, Prairie style residence in West Pullman, Chicago, United States
The S. A. Foster House is a four-level Prairie style residence in West Pullman featuring Japanese architectural elements visible in its upturned roof peaks and dormers. The structure spans approximately 2,400 square feet and includes five bedrooms with distinctively inward-slanting exterior walls.
Frank Lloyd Wright designed this residence in 1900 for Stephen Foster, an attorney involved in developing West Pullman's neighborhoods. The house emerged during Wright's experimental period when he was integrating Japanese design principles into American architecture.
The inward-slanting outer walls create a balanced visual form that reflects Japanese design philosophy. This feature was deliberately chosen to make the house appear to flow naturally with its surroundings.
Entry to the residence flows through an entrance hall that leads directly to a living room with a brick fireplace. Visitors should note the interior contains original wood trim beneath layers of paint and should be explored carefully given the house's architectural details.
The original design shows Wright's unusual combination of Japanese design elements with American materials and building techniques, making this early work a bridge between two architectural traditions. This experiment helped Wright further refine his iconic Prairie style.
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