Affleck House (1941) by Frank Lloyd Wright

Designed in 1940, the Affleck House is a striking expression of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian ideals—his answer to the need for affordable, well-designed housing for the American middle class. Set deep in the woods of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the home merges innovation with restraint, offering a blueprint for how modesty and beauty can coexist.

In keeping with Wright’s Usonian philosophy, the one-story structure eliminates an attic and basement to minimize waste, reduce construction costs, and emphasize a clean, horizontal line that echoes the flat terrain of the Midwest. The floor plan departs from traditional compartmentalization: the kitchen, dining, and living areas blend into a single flowing space, anchored by expansive windows that dissolve the boundary between indoors and out.

Its most dramatic feature is the main living space, which stretches across a forty-foot ravine, suspended in harmony with the wooded landscape below. The bedroom wing grounds the home, terminating in a serene, ground-level master suite that opens to the natural surroundings.

The Afflecks lived in the home until their passing in the early 1970s. Recognizing its architectural significance, the children of the owners donated the house to Lawrence Technological University in 1978. Today, it serves as a living laboratory and educational resource, allowing students to study Wright’s design principles firsthand.

The Affleck House remains one of the most compelling examples of Usonian design, deeply connected to its site, deliberately modest in scale, and timeless in its ability to inspire.

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Affleck House Highlights:

Built: 1941

Client: Elizabeth and Gregory S. Affleck

Address: 925 Bloomfield Woods

Status: National Register of Historic Places. Open to the public with tours available.

Website: affleckhouse.org

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