Frank Lloyd Wright Mid-Century Modern Masterpiece
More than a residence, this study of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian style is a rare piece of art whose canvas happens to be an almost acre of land in Atherton’s Lindenwood neighborhood.
Living in this home at 83 Wisteria Way is not about ownership but more about being stewards of a masterpiece, preserving its place in architectural history, and appreciating the experience of living in a piece of art.
Realtor Monique Lombardelli, specializing in mid-century modern homes, says walking into this home feels like entering a sacred space with a “wild euphoric feeling and energy” not felt anywhere else.
Frank Lloyd Wright selected this design for the quiet cul-de-sac location when the Mathews Family commissioned him in 1950. The home was built two years later and features about 1,940 square feet of living space with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It is one of only three private residences the famous architect designed for private clients in the Bay Area. A great room, dining area, and kitchen extend outside, creating an effortless indoor/ outdoor flow.
The park-like private landscape with extensive gardens, a pool, and sculptures was expertly designed by the renowned Thomas Church, who studied landscape architecture at UC Berkeley and was known for his “California
Style.” Church designed master plans for UC Berkeley and Stanford University, among other campuses, and the Almaden Winery Park.
The diamond-shaped layout of this single-story home showcases two separate and parallel wings connected by a dining area and a centralized workspace. The design also maximizes the use of 120-degree angles, which was more conducive to comfortable human movement than 90-degree angles, according to the architect.
Built during the last two decades of his life, the Usonian houses he created expressed his organic design principles and the importance of the continuity of space, the flow from room to room and from the interior to the scenic outdoor areas via walls of windows and French doors. Wright carefully relates spaces so that there is continuity between them, yet still separation. Rooms are spacious, not cavernous, and are intimate and well scaled for human use. The Hanna House on the Stanford University campus also represents the Usonian principles.
The materials he utilized, taken from the same palette, include red brick and redwood for the interior ceilings, and exterior soffits, and concrete floors colored with a red pigment that extends from the interior rooms to the outdoor terrace. Another characteristic of this design is the broad eaves sheltering the home from the summer’s heat and throughout the year, and the generous four-foot-wide windows and doors.
Protected by the National Registry, the mid-century modern home has been meticulously maintained and features all original Philippine mahogany custom built-in cabinetry.
The home’s unique architecture and materials would appeal to a discerning clientele who prefer its original condition, says Lombardelli. “You wouldn’t alter a classic Picasso,” she adds, “fearing it would lose its value and authenticity.”
The home is ideally located near Flood Park, within two and a half miles to top-rated K-12 Menlo Park schools and minutes from the Bayshore freeway.
Price: $8,000,000
Website: modernhomesrealty.com Photos: modernhomesrealty.com Shown by appointment only Listing agent: Modern Homes Realty, Monique Lombardelli, BRE# 01879145, 650-380-5512, info@ modernhomesrealty.com.