318 Forest Ave.: Arthur Heurtley House (1902)

The Heurtley house embodies the horizontal plains of the Prairie. The long, deep, overhaning roof combined with the banding of the second story windows grounds the home firmly to the earth.

Wright's obsession about making the home a reflection of the surrounding environment went as far as using two colors of mortar between the long Roman bricks. The motar used in the vertical joints closely matches the color of the bricks themselves giving the impression from afar that each course is a single layer of material. The mortar used in the horizontal joints is a lighter shade to emphazise the horixontal axis.

The arched doorway is set asymetrically and blocked by a wall that gives passerbys the impression that access is not easy or permitted. Wright creates a "pathway of discovery" where the visitor must reorient themselves several times before being allowed entrance. This concept was first employed on this block in the Frank Thomas House at 210 Forest in 1901.

The more recent owners of this spectacular home can be seen talking about it in the featured video.