The Headlines
Laurent House In Fundraising Rush To Retire Mortgage
The nonprofit that maintains the only home that Frank Lloyd Wright designed for a person with a disability is working to retire a mortgage it took out on the property more than a decade ago.
The Laurent House Foundation has been challenged to raise $50,000 by Jan. 30 in order to earn a matching grant from the Pritzker Military Foundation, a philanthropic organization that supports multiple facets of military life.
The home was designed by Wright after Kenneth Laurent, a World War II Navy veteran who was paralyzed at age 27, wrote to the famed architect in 1948 to ask him to design an accessible home.
Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent lived in the house from 1952 until their deaths. Kenneth Laurent died at age 92 in January 2012, and Phyllis died 11 months later at age 94. The home opened as a public museum in 2014 and is a common stop on architectural tours featuring Wright’s work.
“Our major audience comes from the Chicago suburbs, but we welcome Wright fans from all across the country and around the world,” said Mary Beth Peterson, the organization’s executive director. “I have a tour group that comes faithfully from the United Kingdom every year … We welcome architecture students from Switzerland, guests from the Netherlands, a tour group from Australia is coming next month. People are coming from around the world to Rockford, Illinois, and they’re coming to see the Laurent House.”
The foundation bought the home in 2012 and paid for it in full with funds from donations and grants. However, in spring 2013 the roof collapsed. The nonprofit took out a nearly $400,000 mortgage to pay for the roof repair and extensive renovation project. That balance is now down to roughly $135,000.
The foundation’s monthly mortgage payments are now about $1,184. It hopes to retire those payments to free up cash to fund programming, events, provide financial security for employee salaries and future preservation efforts.
The foundation is working against a ticking clock not only because of the deadline for the matching grant, but because its current loan term will mature in February. If the mortgage isn’t retired by then, the group will have balloon payments and must refinance its mortgage, Peterson said.
The Laurent House is a rare, one-owner hemicycle Usonian home that is complete with its original furnishings and lighting.
Wright, who died in 1959, considered the house to be one of his 38 most important works. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Illinois Wright Trail.
“So many homes that are museums have passed through several owners, they’ve lost furniture, they’ve had several uses,” Peterson said. “We’re just lucky here. … (The Laurents) understood the treasure of what they had. They meticulously cared for it. They were excellent stewards.”
Click for more details: rockrivercurrent.com
See Inside Wright's Gordon House
Take a video tour inside this iconic Frank Lloyd Wright Gordon house in Oregon's Willamette Valley The iconic home in Silverton was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1957 and is managed by the Gordon House Conservancy, which offers guided tours.
Click for more details: statesmanjournal.com
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Welcome to Skyfire, a breathtaking architectural masterpiece designed by former Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice Vernon Swaback as his personal residence. This 4 bedroom, 4 and 1half bathroom,5,040 square foot home is being offered for$3,899,000.
As an Arizona HistoryMaker™ and the founder of Swaback PLLC - Architects + Planners, Swaback is an esteemed figure in Arizona's architectural history, and he has seamlessly blended organic architecture and modern luxury to create this one-of-a-kind home, in perfect harmony with its natural surroundings.
Click for more details: russlyon.com
Paul Rudolph Exhibition At The Met
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Rudolph's architecture often sparks strong opinions, with some people loving his style while others find it controversial. The exhibition aims to highlight his contributions and challenge viewers to think about how his ideas have shaped the world of design. It’s a fascinating look at a complex figure in architecture, perfect for anyone interested in the subject!
Materialized Space: The Architecture of Paul Rudolph, The Metropolitan Museum of Art through March 16, 2025.
Click for more details: archpaper.com
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