Johnson Wax Headquarters

The Johnson Wax Headquarters is an office building with curved red brick facades and a central work hall in Racine, Wisconsin. The structure combines organic shapes with industrial materials and features a large open interior beneath a translucent roof.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed the main building between 1936 and 1939 in response to the economic uncertainty of those years. The architect added a research tower in 1950 to expand the complex.

The interior layout reflects principles of workplace equality through an open floor plan that houses 200 employees in a single shared space.

The building sits south of downtown Racine near Lake Michigan and is easiest to reach by car. Guided tours allow visitors to access selected interior spaces, with availability varying by season.

The slender concrete columns in the main hall taper downward and widen at the top, resembling mushrooms or water lilies. Wright tested one column with 60 tons (54 metric tons) of weight, though the requirement was only 12 tons (11 metric tons).

Location: Racine

Architects: Frank Lloyd Wright

Official opening: 1939

Address: 1525 Howe Street

GPS coordinates: 42.71361,-87.79083

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:55