William H. Copeland House, Prairie School residence in Oak Park, US
The William H. Copeland House is a Prairie School residence in Oak Park featuring horizontal lines, a low-pitched hip roof, and expansive windows that blur the boundary between interior and exterior spaces. The home sits within the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District among other notable architectural examples from the same period.
Originally constructed in 1873 as an Italianate home, the structure was comprehensively redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1909 when Dr. William Copeland commissioned the remodeling. This transformation positioned it as an early testament to the Prairie School movement's principles.
The house embodies the Prairie School philosophy, which deliberately turned away from European traditions to establish a distinctly North American architectural approach. You can sense this independence in how the interior opens toward the landscape.
The residence sits in a compact residential area where several buildings from the same era cluster together, making exploration manageable on foot. Plan to spend time walking the neighborhood to see how different architects interpreted the Prairie School style.
The dining room retains original furniture pieces that Wright specifically designed for this space, including a sideboard, table, and chairs that remain from the period. These custom pieces demonstrate how thoroughly the architect controlled every detail of the interior.
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