Goetsch-Winckler (1939) House by Frank Lloyd Wright

Exterior of the Goetsch-Winckler House, a quintessential example of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian design philosophy — simple, linear, and seamlessly integrated with its surroundings. Photo provided courtesy of Nate Meyer.

Designed in 1939 and completed in 1940 for Michigan State University art professors Alma Goetsch and Kathrine Winckler, the Goetsch–Winckler House remains one of the most graceful and refined expressions of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian ideals—an accessible, artful approach to modern living rooted in simplicity and nature.

Progressive educators and advocates of modern design, Goetsch and Winckler were deeply influenced by Wright’s Broadacre City concept and the revolutionary Jacobs I house. Motivated by his democratic design philosophy, they invited Wright to design a cooperative Usonian neighborhood near their East Lansing campus—intended to house themselves, six fellow faculty members, and their families. Wright embraced the opportunity, producing a full site plan and home designs. However, the plan was ultimately abandoned after banks and federal lenders refused financing, labeling the architecture too unconventional.

Undeterred, Goetsch and Winckler commissioned Wright to design a single home for themselves, preserving the spirit of the original vision in a more modest form.

The resulting 1,350-square-foot structure is compact but remarkably efficient. Featuring two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a spacious open-plan living area that doubled as a studio, the house was tailored precisely to its owners’ creative lifestyle. Wright made strategic choices to stretch the limited budget: substituting redwood for cypress siding, using painted plywood panels in place of wood ceilings, and designing multifunctional built-ins throughout. The final cost came in just $5.27 under the $6,600 budget.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, the home has since undergone meticulous restoration. Under its current ownership, the Goetsch–Winckler House now offers overnight stays via Airbnb and regularly hosts private tours and community events—carrying Wright’s vision into a new century and making it tangible for the next generation of admirers.

Modest, modern, and masterfully designed, the Goetsch–Winckler House remains a living testament to Wright’s enduring belief that great architecture should elevate everyday life—with beauty, clarity, and soul.

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Goetsch-Winckler House Highlights:

• Built: 1940

• Client: Alma Goetsch and Kathrine Winckler

• Address: 2410 Hulett Road, Okemos, Michigan

• Status: Not open to the public. Special events and private tours are hosted regularly. Available for overnight stays.

• Website: www.experienceusonia.com

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