Built in 1940 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Goetsch–Winckler House is widely considered to be one of the most elegant examples of Wright’s Usonian ideal.

Designed for Michigan State University art professors Alma Goetsch and Kathrine Winckler, the Goetsch–Winckler house was the only structure built as part of a larger planned Usonian community in East Lansing, Michigan, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

This compact, single-story home embodies Wright’s signature Usonian principles, featuring an organic connection to the surrounding landscape, use of natural materials, accentuated use of horizontal lines, and open planning with simple massing, allowing this relatively small house feel incredibly spacious.

Situated atop a knoll on a secluded lot in a quiet neighborhood, the house’s daring carport cantilever leads one alongside a series of French doors to the main entry. Inside, the home opens into an expansive living space with a wall of windows that look across a wooded ravine.

Usonian homes, like this one, were part of Wright’s vision for decentralized, affordable, and harmonious American living. It is no surprise that this home is often considered one of Wright’s most elegant in both form and function.