Issue 440  December 4th 2024

The V&A’s "Cabinet Of Curiosities" In East London Will Open Next May

This coming spring, the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), the London-based institution focused on design and applied and decorative arts, will debut the V&A East Storehouse, a publicly accessible storage facility within Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the site of the 2012 Summer Games. By allowing the V&A to put much of its vast collection on display, the 170,000-square-foot Storehouse, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DSR), “will transform the museum’s back-of-house into a cultural experience,” says the museum’s deputy director, Tim Reeve.

DSR partner Liz Diller calls the Storehouse a “cabinet of curiosities,” with over 250,000 objects, a 350,000-volume library, and nearly 1,000 archives held there and with artifacts as varied as samurai swords, mid-century furniture, and Elton John’s costumes. The pieces on view—about 1,500 at any one time—will also include several large-scale architectural elements, such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s office for Pittsburgh business magnate Edgar J. Kaufmann Jr.; a 15th-century marquetry ceiling from the Altamira Palace near Toledo, Spain; and a two-story fragment of Alison and Peter Smithson’s 1972 East London social housing complex, Robin Hood Gardens.

Click for more details: architecturalrecord.com  

Rasmussen House Is Listed For The First Time

A rare architectural gem has come on the market for the first time after being saved from destruction by its neighbors when its original owner and designer passed away.

The home, in Lake Forest, IL, was designed by architect Robert “Bob” Rasmussen, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, who built the property as a family residence for himself and his wife, June.

However, following June’s death in 2007 and Bob’s in 2021, the home became the source of local controversy when it came under threat of being razed. To save such a rare home from being destroyed, the neighbors stepped in and bought the three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom property for $582,000 in 2022.

Their other goal was to find a preservation-minded buyer. Two years later, it’s on the open market for the first time, with an asking price of $975,000.

The 1960s-era abode comes with many original elements, and time and care will be needed to preserve its beautifully retro architecture.

“It’s always a threat with older homes. Even as spectacular as this home is, there are people who don’t appreciate that architectural style and all they see is a lot that’s five minutes from Lake Michigan and ‘I could build a new big house here,'” says Lou Zucaro of Modern Illinois, who is handling the listing.

Rasmussen, who studied under Wright from 1956 to 1957, went above and beyond to ensure that the home was perfect in every way, Zucaro adds.

"The ideal buyer is somebody who appreciates the house for what it is and wants to live in the house the way it is,” Zucaro says. “You could not build this house today, between changes in building codes and the availability of materials.

Embodying organic architecture, also a philosophy of Wright’s, and built primarily from limestone and glass, the 2,406-square-foot home design is loaded with curves.

“Because Bob handled 70% of building the house with his own hands, you’re not going to have a builder come in who pays as much attention to detail. He set every stone in that house himself, including the fireplace.”

Click for more details: realtor.com  

Asking $2.5M, This Midwest Midcentury Has Ties To Frank Lloyd Wright

The story of 904 Briar Hill begins with famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his clients Dr. and Mrs. Charles E. Bell. Sometime around 1949, Dr. Bell commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design a house for him at this location in Southern Illinois and construction began.

At the time, this location was not yet considered "Belleville" and was referred to as "East St. Louis." Both the selling family and the Belleville Historical Society has a full set of blueprints of the original design. Each page of Wright's blueprints bears his stamp and is titled "House for Dr. and Mrs. Charles E Bell, East St Louis, Frank Lloyd Wright Architect."

Unfortunately, Dr Bell unexpectedly passed away in the early stages of construction and the building project was stopped.

Charles Erwin King, another noted mid-century modern architect, purchased the unfinished project and built the home on the property as his private residence. The main design elements of the home are his. Later, under another owner who had more children, Charles King was commissioned to build the other main part of the current structure and it was constructed on top of Wright's original foundation which is situated to the left of the initial building. Still later, these two buildings were connected to create the house as it exists today.

Floor-to-ceiling windows and multiple outdoor spaces define the King house, including a floating gazebo and bluff-side pool with unmatched sunset views. Four bedrooms, each with en suite bathrooms, and a unique open floor plan with multiple levels and a floating living room complete the 7,000-square-foot luxury compound. The home is set on nearly 56 acres, and it embraces nature with multiple outdoor areas. Currently listed for $2,500,000 by Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty.

Click for more details: dwell.com