About The Restoration
When the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust first became involved with the operation and restoration of the Robie House, stabilization was the first order of business, along with planning and historical research.
The Robie House continues to undergo a multi-year restoration, with $5.5 million raised and successfully expended on structural repairs, updating of mechanicals, stabilization, and the conservation of the exterior of the building. With the restoration project more than half-way complete, the Preservation Trust is seeking to raise an additional $5.5 million to continue working on the interior conservation and restoration. The total project will return the home to its 1910 grandeur. Recently, the main floor of the home has had significant work done to the servant’s rooms, kitchen, and guest bedroom. In addition, the built-ins in the dining room were recreated to match the originals. The third floor bedrooms have been restored and await paint treatment by a trained restoration specialist.
Frank Lloyd Wright himself termed the Robie House “a cornerstone of modern architecture.” It is the only one of his creations that he fought to save from demolition – twice. Wright was not the only one to regard the Robie House as an important structure. Architectural historians consider it one of the most important buildings in the history of American architecture, a masterpiece of the Prairie style and a forerunner of architectural modernism.
