The Mary Adams House: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Only “Flying Buttresses”

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Mary Adams House. Highland Park, Illinois. 1905. No137 of the #500fllwproject

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Prairie style, the Mary W. Adams House in Highland Park, Illinois, was built in 1905.

The two-story home features three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a light stucco exterior and wooden trim that accentuates its horizontal lines.

The Flying Buttresses on the Mary Adams House. Highland Park, Illinois. 1905. No137 of the #500fllwproject

Frank Lloyd Wright’s only “Flying Buttresses”

Although no surviving correspondence exists between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mary Adams, the architectural plans clearly reflect her strong influence on the design of her home. At her request, Wright removed the planned south porch extension and switched the original positions of the kitchen and dining room. She also opened up the dining room to provide an unobstructed view.

One of the home’s most distinctive features is its non-structural, diagonal corner “flying buttresses.” These are unique in Wright’s body of work and serve to dramatically highlight the home’s horizontal lines, visually extending the roofline.

In 1907, two years later, Wright adapted several concepts from the Mary Adams House into his “Fireproof House for $5,000,” published in Ladies' Home Journal.

Who was Mary Adams?

In 1905, Mary W. Adams—a 70-year-old widow and teacher in the Christian Science movement—commissioned architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design her home, making her his oldest client. As followers of Christian Science often sought to present themselves as forward-thinking, Mrs. Adams chose the innovative 38-year-old Wright to reflect those ideals in her home’s design.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Mary Adams House. Highland Park, Illinois. 1905. No137 of the #500fllwproject

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Mary Adams House. Highland Park, Illinois. 1905. No137 of the #500fllwproject