MADISON, Wis. — The nonprofit tasked with caring for renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio in western Wisconsin will receive $5 million under the new state budget to help preserve the property.
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The 800-acre Taliesin estate in Spring Green was Wright’s home for nearly 50 years. While living there, he designed many of his greatest works, including the Guggenheim Museum and Fallingwater.
Taliesin itself stands out as an architectural masterpiece, recognized as a National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
“As he was kind of creating these designs and working for clients around the country and around the world, he was testing out materials and design ideas right here,” Carrie Rodamaker, executive director of Taliesin Preservation, said.
Watch: Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio, Taliesin, to receive $5 million in state funding
In addition to being Wright’s home, Taliesin’s seven buildings hosted the architect’s apprentices, who lived and worked alongside him.
“These apprentices were often learning while doing,” Rodamaker said. “They were not skilled masons or builders. They were working hands-on and part of the building of this place.”
The home’s south wing, which Wright and his apprentices renovated in just two weeks in 1950, is one of Rodamaker’s top priorities.
“That is kind of sinking in on itself,” Rodamaker said. “So that is one area that we know we need to stabilize that, we need to restore that right now for the integrity of the buildings.”
Despite its age, Taliesin still draws crowds of visitors. According to Rodamaker, roughly 30,000 guests visit the estate each year, bringing in roughly $4 million to the region.
To preserve Taliesin in the long term, Rodamaker estimates the nonprofit will need far more than the $5 million from the state. Taliesin Preservation hopes to complete a preservation plan over the coming year to prioritize maintenance and repair projects.
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