About
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for Michigan State University art professors Alma Goetsch and Kathrine Winckler, the Goetsch–Winckler house was the only structure built as part of a larger planned Usonian community in East Lansing, Michigan.
This compact, single-story home embodies Wright’s signature Usonian principles, featuring an organic connection to the surrounding landscape, use of natural materials, accentuated use of horizontal lines, and open planning with simple massing, allowing this relatively small house feel incredibly spacious.
Situated atop a knoll on a secluded lot in a quiet neighborhood, the house’s daring carport cantilever leads one alongside a series of French doors to the main entry. Inside, the home opens into an expansive living space with a wall of windows that look across a wooded ravine.
Usonian homes, like this one, were part of Wright’s vision for decentralized, affordable, and harmonious American living. It should come as no surprise that this home is often considered one of Wright’s most elegant in both form and function.
Today, the home is more accessible than ever before. Free public tours are hosted monthly, and overnight stays are offered to architecture enthusiasts who want to experience Wright’s vision for Usonia more intimately.
History
Alma Goetsch and Kathrine Winckler met while teaching at Michigan State University in the 1930s, bonding over their shared commitment to art, education, and modernist ideals. Their passion for contemporary design and its potential to enhance everyday life drew them to Frank Lloyd Wright, whose philosophy of organic design and “Broadacre City” concept deeply resonated with their ideals.
Wright envisioned a decentralized, egalitarian society where individuals lived in harmony with nature, supported by efficient and affordable housing. Inspired by this vision, Goetsch, Winckler, and six other professors formed a collective which commissioned Wright to design a Usonian community founded on these principles.
Unfortunately, the project collapsed after the Federal Housing Authority refused to provide loans, deeming the designs “too radical”. This left Goetsch and Winckler to fund the construction of their home out of pocket, and the pair ultimately completed the home with just $5.27 to spare.
For Goetsch and Winckler, the house was more than a residence—it was a testament to how thoughtful design could transform daily life. As unmarried women in an era when societal norms often restricted their choices, Goetsch and Winckler created a life that prioritized their creative ambitions, and the home was a symbol of their partnership and determination to live life on their own terms.
Today, the legacy of Goetsch and Winckler and their Usonian home highlights how friendship, shared vision, and the courage to pursue an unconventional path, can leave a lasting impact, inspiring future generations to reimagine how design can transform everyday life.
A personal note
Hi! We’re Nate and Austin, and we’re the careful caretakers of the Goetsch–Winckler house.
We realize just how fortunate we are to own this amazing home and, if you’ve met us, you know we love nothing more than sharing this incredible work of art with others. In just our first year of owning the home, we’ve given free tours to over 200 wonderful visitors!
Our goal is to continue sharing the Goetsch–Winckler House with the community through student art shows, college and grade school tours, en plein air painting, musical performances, book readings, more free tours, and other events that both inspire and educate thanks to Frank Lloyd Wright’s extraordinary marriage of art and architecture.
Offering stays at the home gives architecture enthusiasts (like you!) the opportunity to experience a rare slice of Wright’s vision for Usonia, while also financially supporting our larger vision. Your booking will directly contribute to keeping the costs for these events as low as possible while also helping subsidize the very real costs of preserving and restoring this unique structure.
We have a number of projects in the pipeline and can’t do it without a little help! ❤️
Press
- (2024) Architectural Digest — Does Your New House Come With an Instagram? It May Cost You
- (2024) Condé Nast Traveler — My Favorite Airbnb: A Spectacular Frank Lloyd Wright Home in Michigan
- (2024) Lansing State Journal — Nathan Meyer is restoring a Frank Lloyd Wright home, and hopes you’ll follow along on social media
- (2024) Architectural Digest — Frank Lloyd Wright Houses: 9 Homeowners Share Their Honest Experiences Living in the Architect’s Creations
- (2024) Architectural Digest — 11 Frank Lloyd Wright-Designed Houses You Can Rent for Your Next Vacation
- (2024) WLNS — ‘I never thought we’d be able to tour it:’ Michigan man restores historical Frank Lloyd Wright home
- (2024) Detroit Free Press — Frank Lloyd Wright designed more than 30 homes in Michigan: Here’s how to see 8 of them
Upcoming Events
Tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Goetsch–Winckler House — Sunday, Jan 12 @ 2pm ET — FreeFully booked!Tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Goetsch–Winckler House — Sunday, Jan 12 @ 4pm ET — FreeFully booked!Tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Goetsch–Winckler House — Sunday, Feb 9 @ 2pm ET — FreeFully booked!- Tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Goetsch–Winckler House — Sunday, Feb 9 @ 4pm ET — Free