PRAIRIE HOUSE

A large curved wall forms a base for the house and inscribes a portion of a projected circle that enfolds the prairie and its wetland. An imagined ruin of cast–in–place concrete columns and beams emerges from this huge arc‚ providing a rhythm to organize the house’s spaces. The arced walls extend in front of and past the house’s perimeter‚ capturing magnificent spaces for courtyards‚ gardens‚ and terraces.

The building’s walls are primarily sandstone‚ limestone‚ stucco and poured–in–place concrete. These materials continue inside the house where they are given interior finishes and trimmed with hardwoods and steel. Low–pitched‚ copper hip roofs cover the main living spaces and afford them additional height‚ making reference to the early modern prairie houses of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Two sets of large windows are positioned toward the south facing courtyards. The open hallways and living spaces become the art gallery for the client’s growing collection. Opposite the main entry‚ a 14–foot high window faces the wetland and grasslands beyond and becomes a monumental mural all it’s own. Clerestory windows‚ concealed by a series of cantilevered planes‚ bring diffused natural light from above to the entry and main living room. The uppermost ceiling surface dissolves in this wash of atmospheric light‚ suggesting a roofless space.