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| Features |
Estates of Grace
Eryn Brown
06/01/2004
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Homes with pedigrees need not be limited to a
particular architect’s better-known locales. While Chicago is arguably the
leading city for premier American architecture—from Wright to George W. Maher
and Louis Sullivan to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe—countless other regions warrant
exploration. According to the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, a
preservation group, there are 350 Wright houses in the United States, spread
over 32 states, from California to Connecticut. You can find the work of Bauhaus
architects, such as Walter Gropius, throughout the Northeast. New Canaan, Conn.,
boasts a number of Philip Johnson’s International Style sleek glass boxes. And
if we seek mid-century modern buildings, Southern California, perhaps better
know for freeways and shopping malls, hides masterworks by Charles and Ray
Eames, R.M. Schindler, John Lautner, Pierre Koenig and Cody.
Architecturally
significant does not necessarily translate as avant-garde, edgy or even artsy;
there is a house to suit every taste. Many 18th- and 19th-century estates and
townhouses on the East Coast are recognized for their age and distinction. A
fair number of residences, including Regas’ townhouse, are the supreme works or
period pieces of lesser-known but highly regarded local architects, such as
Adler, who worked in a number of historical styles. These can be found in every
part of the country. Fine early 20th-century period houses dot the inner-ring
suburbs of nearly every major city, from Atlanta to Dallas and Detroit. Parts of
New England, Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia also make prime hunting grounds
for older estates.
Edifice Complex
The first step, of course, is finding our perfect house.
In some cities, real estate agents specialize in what is often called the
architectural market. We can also liaise with preservation groups that seek to
find buyers for the important homes that they want to protect.
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