Unpacked by AFAR · Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Edward Howard states that Buffalo and Chicago are unique in having significant works by Louis Sullivan, H.H. Richardson, and Frank Lloyd Wright, often called the 'Holy Trinity' of American architecture. These architects broke from traditional European styles to create an American architectural vocabulary.
“The Holy Trinity, if you will, of American architecture is Louis Sullivan, whom we've discussed, Henry Hobson Richardson, HH Richardson, and Frank Lloyd Wright.”
“And they considered to be the Holy Trinity because in the late 1800s, 1900s, they broke away from traditional European architectural styles, Beaux Arts, Gothic, Roman, and so on and so forth, and tried to create an American vocabulary in architecture.”
“Now, one of the things that makes Buffalo special is that Buffalo and Chicago are the only two cities in the United States to have significant works by all three architects.”