• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Dog Breeds
    • Akita
    • Beagle
    • Bernese Mountain Dog
    • Bullmastiff
    • German Shorthaired Pointer
    • Golden Retriever
    • Labrador Retriever
    • Pitbull
    • Schnauzers: A Collection
    • Setters: A Collection
    • Spaniels: A Collection
    • Vizsla
    • Weimaraner
  • Supplies
    • Collars, Harnesses & Leashes
    • Crates, Kennels, Carriers & Crate Training
    • Outdoors Equipment
    • Pet Beds
    • Toys
    • Tracking & Training Gear
    • Travel Gear
  • Grooming & Health Care
    • Combs & Brushes
    • Shampoos & Conditioners
    • Clippers & Trimmers
    • Grooming Tips
    • Health Care Tips
  • Food & Treats
  • NEWS
    • News from Pet Product Manufacturers
    • News
  • Training
  • USA/Canada

Pets Life Guide

Dedicated to Freya

PetsLifeGuide » News » Boy Asked Frank Lloyd Wright to Design Him a Dog House – And He Did

Boy Asked Frank Lloyd Wright to Design Him a Dog House – And He Did

Last Modified: June 27, 2022 by Julia Powell Leave a Comment

Letter received by Frank Lloyd Wright, asking him to design a dog house – Courtesy of Marin County Civic Center

Designer of some of the most celebrated buildings in American history—including Falling Water and the Guggenheim Museum—Frank Lloyd Wright, as it turns out, helped fulfill the housing needs of other animals too.

In 1956, a 12-year-old boy asked the famous architect if—seeing as he was already designing a house for his family, the Bergers—the great designer wouldn’t be troubled to include a dog house to go with it.

Marin County Civic Center

Penning a reply, Wright said building a dog house for Eddie the Labrador retriever was an “opportunity,” but that on account of a packed schedule, young Jim Berger would have to wait about 18 months.

Jim was the son of Robert and Gloria, who had recently contracted Wright to build them one of his “Usonian style” homes for the American family.

Just as he had intended, Wright got around to the “opportunity” and provided plans for the four-square-foot doghouse the next year, written on the back of an envelope and at no charge.

The triangular structure was designed in keeping with the main house and included signature Wright details, such as the low-pitched roof with exaggerated overhang. Wright even suggested that Jim use scrap pieces of Philippine mahogany and cedar left over from the home’s original construction.

Jim never got around to building it, and eventually joined the Army in 1963. Later his brother and father built the doghouse, only to find that Eddie never used it and preferred to sleep inside where it was warmer. The roof leaked anyway, an unexpected yet typical feature of Wright’s work. This led Jim’s mother Gloria to toss the thing in the landfill.

Doghouse designed by Wright in new exhibit / Marin Civic Center

In 2010, the documentary Designed by Frank featured Jim and his brother rebuilding the doghouse according to the original plans, and, after they were finished, they donated it to Marin County for display at another of Wright’s buildings, the Marin County Civic Center.

RELATED: This Cabin’s Flexible Design Can Open To Nature or Enclose into Cozy Space Again (Watch)

Displayed only briefly, it was placed in storage in 2016, but the people who saw it never forgot, and so as of late May, the smallest building he ever designed is now on permanent display inside the largest existing building he ever designed.

Marin County Civic Center – copyright GWC

“The people love it,” Libby Garrison of the Marin County Department of Cultural Services, told the Marin Independent.

MORE: Visit ‘Fortlandia’ Where Designers Have Built Odes to Childhood Fort-Building in Austin, Texas

“We are a pet-loving community and I think it’s an intimate kind of lovely building and I feel like it tells a bigger Frank Lloyd Wright story. The doghouse adds further dimension to Frank Lloyd Wright in Marin County, and it’s a fun family story.”

SHARE This Fab Story of True Generosity With Chums…

You might also enjoy

Two West Midlands children were seriously hurt in two separate dog attacks.
Dog causing flood by turning on tap among hundreds of pet-related insurance claims, Aviva reveals
This Hero Dog-Lover Keeps Seniors and Their Pets Together With ‘Peace of Mind’

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search

Last posts

  • Best Brush For Bernese Mountain Dogs Review
  • Dog in goggles and armor: Ukrainian border guards cynologists showed new ammunition for dogs. PHOTO
  • Dog escapes from Oregon State Police by breaking through the car windows
  • Dramatic dog rescue from sweltering car
  • This Hero Dog-Lover Keeps Seniors and Their Pets Together With ‘Peace of Mind’

We Recommend

Why FurHaven’s Cooling Dog Beds Are the Best Choice for Your Dog in Summer

Best Starter Kit for Puppy

My Picks for the Best Puppy Starter Kits

cleaning pet bed

How To Clean a Dog Bed Properly?

Best Dog Crate

Best Dog Crates, Kennels & Pet Carriers Review

Footer

Follow Us

  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Twitter

DMCA

DMCA.com Protection Status
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE Some posts may contain affiliate links. Petslifeguide.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Add Pets Life Guide to your Homescreen!

Add