Wright in Wisconsin Announces 2026 Wright Now Student Design Competition Winners
Wright in Wisconsin is proud to announce the top three winners of its second annual Wright Now Student Design Competition, a program created to celebrate Frank Lloyd Wright’s enduring legacy and demonstrate the continued relevance of his principles of organic architecture.
Open to college students throughout Wisconsin, the competition challenges emerging designers to study Wright’s architectural philosophy and apply those principles to contemporary designs rooted in real Wisconsin landscapes and modern construction methods.
This year’s competition drew entries from students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Submissions were reviewed by a jury of industry professionals, along with competition coordinators Kenneth Dahlin, PhD, AIA, and Henry St. Maurice. Dahlin is an architect, author, and scholar whose work focuses on the aesthetic and historical foundations of Wright’s organic architecture. St. Maurice is Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. In addition to Dahlin, the other voting jurors included Ryan Chester, a Chicago-based architect; Mark Keane, architect and Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; and Anna Andrzejewski, Frank Lloyd Wright Professor of Modern American Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Students were tasked with designing a single-family residence of no more than 2,500 square feet on an actual Wisconsin site using realistic materials and building systems. Awards included $1,500 for first place, $750 for second place, and $500 for third place. Winners also received a one-year membership to Wright in Wisconsin. The competition was sponsored by Wright in Wisconsin, Taliesin Preservation, and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
Dahlin stated, “It is inspiring to see a new generation of designers engage with Wright’s principles and demonstrate how organic architecture can continue to evolve and inspire in the twenty-first century.”
First Place: Wyatt Dierks
Wyatt Dierks, who recently completed his junior year at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, earned first place for his Usonian-inspired residence designed for a site along the Wisconsin River.
One juror wrote, “This entry beautifully exemplifies Wright’s organic design language with an architectural maturity rarely seen in student work. The presentation is holistic at every level—from the formal massing and plan composition to the material choices, relationship to the landscape, disciplined use of the grid, and thoughtful detailing. While clearly Usonian in spirit, the design demonstrates a meaningful effort to make Wright’s principles buildable in the twenty-first century.”
Second Place: Cody Jenkins
Cody Jenkins, a senior at the University of Wisconsin–Madison studying civil engineering with certificates in architecture and Spanish, received second place for his design of a home on Lake Michigan.
A juror commented, “The design demonstrates a strong grasp of the many elements that must be resolved in a modern home and shows an emerging sensitivity to materials and construction.”
Third Place: Jacquelyn Pennetta
Jacquelyn Pennetta, a rising junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture with a certificate in architecture at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, earned third place.
Jurors praised her design, saying, “This home has a quiet elegance. The restraint and simplicity would make for a wonderful modern home.”
The awards were announced at the SC Johnson Golden Rondelle Theater on Monday, June 8.
The 2027 Wright Now Student Design Competition will be announced later this year.
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