Images by Lillie Schwier and Alyssa Still
Frank Lloyd Wright, widely regarded as America’s most famous and greatest architect of the 20th century, left an indelible mark on Florida Southern College (FSC) in Lakeland, Florida. The campus is home to the world’s largest single-site collection of his buildings—13 structures in total—known collectively as the “Child of the Sun” campus.
This architectural legacy is now fully revealed in an unprecedented exhibition at the Ashley Gibson Barnett Art Museum. The exhibit finally allows Wright’s complete vision for the campus to be truly understood, showcasing his dream of a modern college bathed in the Florida sun, with designs that reflect the state’s landscape and citrus heritage.
FSC’s relationship with Wright began in 1938 when President Dr. Ludd Spivey telegrammed the architect, asking him to design a “campus of tomorrow.” Spivey wanted the school to be a reflection of modern technology and art…