A modern take on Wright’s Prairie style
Real Estate
“We were building a modern house using modern materials. What Wright designed in 1905 is not practical today.”
Architect Owen Thomas and builder Jim Burke had worked together before, designing and building new single-family homes or restoring historic ones. But this time, Burke called Thomas with a proposal for a project that was decidedly different.
Some elements were not so unusual: A couple wanted to downsize to a new house where they could live on one level. They wanted to stay in their Milton neighborhood, close to friends and family. Energy efficiency, ease of use, space for entertainment, and keeping costs down were all on their list. But there were surprises.
“These clients are my parents,” said Burke, who joined with partner Randy Milburn to form Cambridgeport Construction in 2010. The company is located in Milton.
“When my parents were young, they lived in Chicago, where they came to love Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie style,” Burke continued. “They wanted the new house to evoke those buildings. Also, my father’s hobby is woodworking, and he was determined to have a hand in the design and construction of the new house.”
To re-create the design elements of those renowned early-20th century buildings is no mean feat. To try to do it with modern materials and budget constraints would have Frank Lloyd Wright walking off the job on the first day.
“We were building a modern house using modern materials,” Burke said. “What Wright designed in 1905 is not practical today.”
“It is always a challenge to try to evoke a historic style,” Thomas said. “If you force it, the results don’t look right.”
The Boston architect, who creates single-family houses primarily, has worked in a number of design idioms, including very modern. “Balancing natural light, privacy, and multifunctional spaces is important to any home regardless of architectural style,” Thomas said.
“I don’t work in a specific historic style,” he continued. “It’s all about what the client wants. In this case, we did not create a slavish reproduction of a Wright Prairie style-house, but used the design elements to create a home that echoes that spirit.”
The result is an L-shaped, 4,200-square-foot, two-story home with four bedrooms, three full baths, and two half baths. The primary bedroom suite is on the first floor, along with a large living room, a laundry room, and a kitchen ell. The second floor houses three bedrooms, including a suite, plus a living room, a full bath, an office, and a laundry room. Prairie-style elements include an overall horizontal orientation, shallow-pitched roofs with deep overhangs, clerestory windows, transitional spaces between inside and out, wraparound porches, integration with the landscape, and a feast of millwork that speaks of fine craftsmanship.
“The whole thing took longer than it would have if my father had not painstakingly produced the maple woodwork of the fireplace, the built-ins, the door and window trim, the crown moldings, and the baseboards,” Burke said. “He did beautiful work, but millwork like that doesn’t happen quickly.”
A millwork element created by the woodworker-homeowner is a large wooden grid suspended over the kitchen. While ceilings throughout the house measure 9 feet, here they rise to 14. A horizontal band of clerestory windows creates a lofty sense of space and brings in lots of indirect natural light. The maple grid ties into the surrounding ceiling heights and provides anchors for hanging lighting fixtures. The grid itself is a custom light fixture with integrated downlights and indirect up lights that illuminate the high ceiling.
The kitchen is black and white, with enameled plywood cabinets, black quartz counters, vertically stacked subway tiles, and terrazzo flooring. Behind the kitchen are a home office, a craft room, pantry, half bath, and a mudroom with a door leading to the outside, which includes a 100-year-old barn.
A landscape designed by Boston-based Nancy Lattanzio complements the house. The homeowners are especially proud of a permeable driveway area where pavers are inset with grass. This part of the driveway leads to the cellar door for infrequently used-but-convenient access; the grass can survive an occasional car driven over it. The property also has a main asphalt driveway that serves a carriage house-turned garage. A mudroom off the kitchen ell sits adjacent to the garage.
The back of the house surrounds a patio with covered porches, part of the emphasis on bringing together inside and outside.
A long hallway runs the length of the home. “This interstitial space creates a layer of separation between the kitchen, living [room], bedroom suite, entry, and the patio, while simultaneously providing an open light-filled pathway to each,” Thomas said. The homeowners call it the gallery. Lined with windows, it looks out onto the back porch and patio. At the far end, functioning like a sculptural focal point, stands a 1967 Honda 305 Scrambler motorcycle.
“This was my father’s transportation when he was first dating my mother,” Burke said with a laugh. “Now it’s a sentimental piece of their history. And firmly attached to the floor so that it won’t fall, it’s a place for the grandkids to climb and play.”
Architect Owen Thomas reflects on the design:
Regina Cole can be reached at [email protected].
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