River Forest Tennis Club
Date: 1906
Address: 615 Lathrop Avenue, River Forest, IL 60305
City: River Forest, Illinois
Accessibility: Private
Category: Recreational
Links: www.rftc.org
Wright was commissioned to design the River Forest Tennis Club, a social and recreational facility to which he belonged as a member, after the organization’s original building was destroyed by fire. In Wright’s design, the low, elongated, single-story structure is clad in board-and batten siding that contributes to the dominate horizontality of the building. Prow-like terminuses at each end further exaggerate the lateral thrust of the structure. A low, hipped roof, interrupted only by wide, shallow chimneys, grounds the structure in its environment. Inside, an expansive assembly room is bordered by fireplaces on three sides and a continuous band of glass doors that permitted views onto the Club’s tennis courts. Transom windows below the structure’s soffits allowed natural light to filter into the space, while also creating a sense of privacy. The building was relocated and modified in 1920 after the Cook County Forest Preserve Commission claimed the original property. It continues to be used as a clubhouse by the River Forest Tennis Club.