Book Description

Florida Southern College in Lakeland boasts the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world. With eleven buildings planned and designed by Wright, the campus forms a rich tableau for examining the architect's philosophy and design practice. In this fully illustrated volume, Dale Allen Gyure tells the engaging story of the ambitious project from beginning to end. The college's dynamic president, Ludd M. Spivey, wanted the grounds and buildings redesigned to embody a modern and distinctly American expression of Protestant theology. Informed by Spivey's vision, his own early educational experience, and his architectural philosophy, Wright conceived the "Child of the Sun" complex. Much like Thomas Jefferson's famous plan for the University of Virginia, the academic village that Wright designed for Florida Southern College expresses a dramatic and personal statement about education in a democratic society. Little studied to date, this significant campus and its history are finally given the attention they deserve in this fascinating volume.