8 Buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright Nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Status

Fallingwater. Image © Robert Ruschak - Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

Eight buildings by acclaimed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright have been nominated for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Titled “The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright,” the list of eight major works is a revision of a previous application lodged in February 2015.

Submitted by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, the list spans Wright’s 70-year career with schemes such as Unity Temple, Taliesin West, Fallingwater, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

The list will now be reviewed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites, who acts as an official advisor to the World Heritage Committee. Following a recommendation from the body, the works will be considered at the 2019 World Heritage Meeting taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan in July.

As the only organization with the mission to facilitate the preservation and maintenance of the remaining structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, this nomination is one of the most important shared endeavors we have undertaken. After the World Heritage Committee’s referral decision in July 2016, the Frank Lloyd Wright World Heritage Council worked closely with the United States National Park Service and, through them, with ICOMOS, to seriously consider their comments and use them to make appropriate changes to the proposal.
-Edith Payne and Barbara Gordon, President and Executive Director, Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy

If the nomination is fulfilled, the collection of buildings will join the 1,092 designated sites currently on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including some of the most recognizable buildings in the world like the Taj Mahal and Sydney Opera House. These structures are recognized for their extraordinary cultural significance and “outstanding universal values.”

The Wright sites would be one of only 24 World Heritage Sites in the U.S and the only listing of modern architecture. While listing does not impose new regulations and restrictions on the properties, it does identify a buzzer zone surrounding the property, which protects the setting of the formal property.

The Wright schemes under consideration can be seen below. For more information, visit the official website of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, and view the submitted document to UNESCO.