"Final Usonian home" by Frank Lloyd Wright completed in Ohio

A house based on designs by Frank Lloyd Wright has been completed in Ohio in a way that is "true to Wright's plan, intent and spirit" according to its owner and general contractor Sarah Dykstra, despite its attribution being contested.

According to Dykstra, who served as a general contractor on the project with her mother Debbie, the three-bedroom, two-bedroom house in Willoughby Hills, Ohio was built using plans of Wright's Usonian called Project #5909, or Riverrock.

"Riverrock was Wright's final Usonian home blueprint, delivered in 1959," said Dykstra.

"The quest was to build Frank Lloyd Wright's final design true to his plan, its intent and spirit, while also ensuring that the home would meet current building regulations."

Dykstra purchased the original property of Riverrock in 2018, which included the "unbuilt Wright plan known as Project #5909" in the Talisesin Archive, Wright's sprawling Wisconsin estate overseen by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

Roughly P-shaped in plan, it features a long, low-lying volume clad in river rock with a carport on one end. Partially embedded in a berm and with an overhanging roof, the primary entrance leads up to the wide workspace and communal areas.

The carport separates a toolshed from the long section that houses the bedrooms.

As the building moves from the long bedroom section to the wider living areas, the stone walls give way to floor-to-ceiling glass that encases the tall living room.

The interior features the natural materials for which Wright's designs were known such as stone and wood.

The purchase also included the existing 1955 Louis Penfield Home by Wright that sits nearby.

The house has received pushback from official Frank Lloyd Wright organisations such as the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation (The Foundation) and the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conversancy, who referred to the building as an "interpretation" of Wright's original design.

"The Riverrock home is not Frank Lloyd Wright's work – varying due to codes, materials, and other differences," the Foundation told ArtNet.

"Although it is true that the RiverRock drawings were some of Wright's last, the current construction varies from the actual plans designed by Wright. It's a derivative of the original plan."

Wright designed Riverrock as a second house on the property for Louis Penfield shortly before his death.

"Riverrock, considered Wright's last residential commission, was to be built of stone gathered from the nearby Chagrin River," said the Foundation. "The Penfields received the plans the week of Wright's funeral, but the house remained un-built."

The Dykstra's began construction of Riverrock in October 2023, following the approval of "original plans for the home, with supplemental structural engineering drawings" by the Willoughby Hills Building Department and Architectural Review Board and the Lake County Building Department.

The plans were also reviewed by a group of architects and engineers, according to the Dykstra's, who are "Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts".

Riverrock was completed in January 2025. Like the Penfield House, it's currently available for rent.

"When we set out to build this home, we gave a mandate to the professional team involved: if you must change something due to current building regulations and code, products, etc., do so under the 'skin', so the house will look exactly the same," said Dykstra.

"We are thrilled our team of construction professionals delivered on this promise and are proud to present Riverrock, a beautiful 2025 build from Frank Lloyd Wright's 1959 plans."

Recently, a legal battle ensued to "defend the integrity" of Frank Lloyd Wright's only skyscraper in Oklahoma after original objects were sold without approval by the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy and Stuart Graff stepped down as the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation CEO last year.

The photography is courtesy Sarah Dykstra

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