(via Wikipedia)
In today's Philadelphia Inquirer, there was an interesting article that highlighted the Suntop Homes, a set of residences designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the nearby Mainline suburb of Ardmore. The Suntop Homes were built during the '30s as an experiement in the vein of "minimum houses" (which, trust me, stands in stark contrast to the grand palaces in the area).
The cause for the newspaper article?
One of the current owners have put their unit on the market for around $430,000, hoping that modern buyers will appreciate the architectural pedigree...and overlook some of the apparent practicality issues of living in the space (i.e., low ceilings, narrow staircases, small bedrooms, a historically leaky roof).
Take a look:
My question is: would you be willing to sacrifice space or practicality for a piece of architectural history?
How impractical are we talking? Maybe. Roofs can be fixed, all bedrooms in Lower Merion are small... but Modern homes designed by famous architects are pretty rare!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to say yes, I think I could sacrafice a little to live in a Frank Lloyd Wright house. I think with the right amount of space planning, you could make it work? I really love this house, and the fact that this style of house is so rare, just makes it all the more special.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing - and the right person I'm sure will snatch it up and do great things with it. A friend of ours just saw it not too long ago in person.
ReplyDeleteI saw the old PBS documentary on FLW a while ago - so fascinating! Many of his buildings had a long list of practical issues like leaky roofs and windows. I think I'd rather a house in better working order, but that embraced some his household ideals, like lots of common family space!
ReplyDeleteIt all depends. Honestly, the ceilings in our house look lower than the ones in the pics you posted. I could definitely see someone buying this - choosing form over function. I do this sometimes w/the furniture pieces I buy and it drives my husband crazy!!! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I would. Sometimes you have to make practical sacrifices for the charm and character that you can only find in an older home. A home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright at that!
ReplyDeleteI took one look and immediately thought Frank Loyd Wright. My father was a professor of architecture and FLW was his all time favorite architect. My answer is yes!
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