Johnson Wax Building
Photos by Iwan Baan
Article from SC Johnson
From the 43 miles of glass Pyrex tubing that forms its windows, to the soaring columns in its Great Workroom, our Administration Building is a truly unique place to work. It’s also the only corporate headquarters that Frank Lloyd Wright designed that remains operational.
The building, which opened in 1939 in Racine, Wisconsin, is celebrated as one of the top 25 buildings of the 20th century. We like to think it reflects the innovation, boldness and adventure that are still the spirit of SC Johnson today.
Decades ahead of his time, Wright employed innovative modular furniture and an open office plan to make the workspace more productive. The Administration Building also was one of the first in the United States to be completely air-conditioned.
Perhaps the most recognized feature of the Administration Building’s Great Workroom is its columns. Wright called them "dendriform," meaning tree-shaped, but many also refer to them as lily pads because of the unique shape of their top supporting pads. The columns are just 9 inches in diameter at their base, but blossom to 18.5 feet in diameter at the top.
Despite their beauty, not everyone shared Wright’s optimism that the columns were a good idea. Initially, the Wisconsin Industrial Commission refused to approve the building plans, saying that they believed the design of the columns to be unrealistic. Wright, however, was not deterred.
In 1937, he oversaw a structural integrity experiment. Hundreds of onlookers and H.F. himself gathered to watch the dramatic field test. In the end, the columns proved their worth. They withstood a load of sixty tons – ten times the required amount. The construction was approved.
