Architecture enthusiasts have a rare opportunity to own Frank Lloyd Wright's only private residence in Florida, as the historic Spring House hits the market for $2.128 million. The hemicycle-designed home, built in 1954 for Clifton and George Lewis II, represents one of only 11 such curved structures Wright ever created among his more than 400 surviving buildings worldwide.

Spring House stands as a testament to Wright's organic architecture philosophy, growing from the Florida landscape like the surrounding cypress trees rather than imposing upon nature. The Lewis family commissioned Wright after meeting him at Florida Southern College in 1950, seeking an architect who could transcend conventional residential design. Wright's response captured his organic philosophy perfectly: "find your ground, not on a lot."

The timing of Spring House's creation places it among Wright's final residential works, completed during the same period as the iconic Guggenheim Museum and sharing similar revolutionary curved geometries. This exclusive hemicycle design represents Wright's bold departure from his earlier Prairie School rectangles and Usonian L-shapes, creating what he called "organic architecture made manifest."

The curved design serves practical purposes beyond its striking visual appeal. Wright oriented the concentric circular walls to capture prevailing breezes while deflecting harsh afternoon sun, creating natural climate control in Florida's challenging climate. The hemicycle form generates intimate spaces within the larger volume, allowing family members privacy while maintaining connection to central living areas.

Wright constructed the home using Ocala block, a concrete block material popular in mid-century Florida construction that provided both structural integrity and regional authenticity. Tidewater red cypress siding covers both exterior and interior mezzanine surfaces, creating warmth and texture that complements the curved walls. A wedge-shaped carport extends from the home's west side, completing the sculptural composition that has attracted architecture enthusiasts for seven decades.

Floor-to-ceiling windows dissolve boundaries between interior and exterior spaces, maximizing the connection to nature through strategic placement that frames the surrounding forest canopy. At night, reflections in the expansive glass create floating images across the forest, particularly when fires burn in the home's hearth. Mashburn, the Lewis daughter who moved to the house at age eight, later recalled the transformative experience of living with the distinctive windows and their relationship to the surrounding forest.

The interior reveals Wright's mastery of "spatial flow," where rooms dissolve into one another through gentle curves rather than harsh transitions. Built-in seating and storage demonstrate Wright's belief that furniture should be integral to architecture, not applied afterward. The cypress wood surfaces serve as both finish and structural elements that define the spatial experience.

Wright designed the home to demonstrate technical innovation through carefully calculated window placement and varied ceiling heights. The curved glass walls follow the sun's path, ensuring consistent natural illumination throughout the day while preventing glare and heat buildup. Clerestory windows capture morning light from the east while protecting against harsh afternoon sun, creating what Wright called "borrowed light" that flows throughout the interior.

The home's material honesty appears throughout the interior, where Ocala concrete blocks remain exposed, celebrating their structural role rather than hiding behind applied finishes. The tidewater cypress ages naturally, developing a patina that Wright saw as "architecture living and breathing with time." The mezzanine level creates intimate spaces within the larger volume without sacrificing the sense of openness that defines Wright's organic approach.

Listed at $2.128 million, Spring House positions itself competitively within Wright's residential market, where recent sales have ranged from $850,000 for the Winn House in Michigan to over $2 million for the Eppstein House, also in Michigan. The Florida location provides year-round accessibility and eliminates the harsh winter conditions that challenge many Wright homes in northern climates.

The ten-acre wooded setting offers privacy and protection that urban Wright properties cannot match. The Lewis family maintained the home until 2010, ensuring careful stewardship through its first 56 years. Current condition reports indicate the need for systematic restoration to address deferred maintenance and weathering from Florida's humid climate, presenting opportunities for buyers to participate in architectural preservation.

The home's inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 provides both protection and guidance for future modifications. The designation, granted when the house was only 25 years old, acknowledges its exceptional architectural significance. Tour programs operated by the Spring House Institute have introduced thousands of visitors to Wright's hemicycle concept, creating a community of supporters committed to long-term preservation.

Wright positioned Spring House to occupy a pivotal position in his architectural evolution, bridging his prairie and Usonian periods with the sculptural freedom that would define his final decade. The hemicycle experiments began with the Unitarian Meeting House in Madison, Wisconsin, and culminated in masterworks like the Guggenheim Museum. Wright created only two pod-shaped residences from this exploration, making Spring House exceptionally rare among his domestic works.

Future ownership presents opportunities to complete Wright's original vision while incorporating modern systems and technologies. Plans included a terrace wall and reflecting pool that would have enhanced the home's relationship with the natural spring on the property. Updated mechanical systems can improve energy efficiency without compromising architectural integrity, while smart home technologies can integrate discretely to preserve the organic aesthetic. For those who have dreamed of experiencing Wright's revolutionary architecture firsthand, Spring House represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own and preserve this Florida masterpiece.