Winslow House was Wright’s first independent commission. He opened an office and began his quest to design homes that he believed would truly belong on the American prairie. The split, however, presented the opportunity Wright needed to go out on his own. It is not clear whether Wright quit or was fired, but his departure was acrimonious, creating a rift between the two men that was not repaired for nearly two decades. Although he did these on his own time, when Sullivan became aware of them in 1893, he charged Wright with breach of contract. Remembered by the children as a lively household, filled with beautiful things Wright found it hard to go without, it was not long before escalating expenses tempted him into accepting independent residential commissions. It also reflected Wright’s ingenuity as he experimented with geometric shapes and volumes in the studio and playroom he later added for his ever-growing family of six children. He purchased a wooded corner lot in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park and built his first house, a modest residence reminiscent of the East Coast shingle style with its prominent roof gable. Eager to build his own home, he negotiated a five-year contract with Sullivan in exchange for the loan of the necessary money. In 1889, at age 22, Wright married Catherine Lee Tobin. As Wright explored his personal interests, his work ushered in brand new styles of design.
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