Stay in an 82-year-old masterpiece designed by “the greatest American architect of all time”.
Very rarely do the homes of celebrities and historic figures make their way onto websites like Airbnb and if for some reason they do, you’d bet your bottom dollar that they’re far from affordable. So what if we told you that you can now stay at the home of the man often referred to as the father of modern architecture?
Only a handful of architects in history can lay claim to the same fame as Frank Lloyd Wright and if you are unfamiliar with the famed architect, a quick gander at his most famous creations online will show you why he is so highly regarded. People travel from all around the world to lay eyes on structures like The Guggenheim Museum in New York City, Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, and Robie House on the University of Chicago campus.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s environmentally harmonious “organic architecture” offers a stunning visual experience evident which is part of the reason 8 of his buildings have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But now Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture can be experienced with more than just your eyes. Located on the East Twin River in Wisconsin, a property Frank Lloyd Wright designed as part of the Life Magazine Dream House competition has made its way onto Airbnb!
In 1938 Life Magazine had the eight best architects in the world each submit plans for a beautiful but affordable “dream house” for the average middle-class American family. Bernard Schwartz and his wife then built the Wisconsin home two years later turning Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision into reality.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Still Bend, also known as The Bernard & Fern Schwartz House, lies about a mile from Lake Michigan and has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, sleeps six adults (plus infants), and currently goes for around $600 a night.
Entering the property, guests will find an expansive, two-floor, 3,000 square-feet family home with two indoor fireplaces as well as an outdoor fireplace in the Sunken Court on the backside of the house and a fire pit in the yard. By far the most stunning features of the house, however, are the classic Frank Lloyd Wright elements such as red tidewater cypress paneling and the abundance of natural light that Frank Lloyd Wright loved to accentuate. Iconic clerestory windows let in ambient light above while huge floor-to-ceiling windows connect to a large lawn harmonizing the interior space with the surrounding landscape.
At 82-years-old, the historic property does not have inbuilt air conditioning but the listing explains that Two Rivers, where the home is located in northern Wisconsin, is known as “Cool City” because of the microclimate created by the lake “that keeps the city about 15 degrees cooler than inland locations.”
There is, however, wireless internet, as week as numerous books and DVDs on Frank Lloyd Wright’s life and achievements for those wanting to fully immerse themselves in the world of the famous architect.
“Imagine waking up in this magical space and listening to the birds on the river then while observing the light show as the morning sun is projected through the clerestory window screens onto the red brick windows. Spend your day sitting in the 63-foot-long living room reading a vintage novel pulled from the shelves in the library. Go down to the dock on the river to watch a Sandhill Crane land with a splash or simply marvel at how the light changes throughout the day” reads the Airbnb description.
Frank Lloyd Wright wrote in Life Magazine about the plan, “American…family life is unlike any other in the world and I think this plan recognizes it for pretty much what it is — a little private club — with special privacies, ultra conveniences and style all the while.”
Want a good look inside the property? The home was recently featured on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals in episode 1 of season 2.
More information can be found by visiting the Airbnb listing. Nearly all dates for 2022 are booked so if you’re wanting a stay to stay in this masterpiece anytime soon you’ll have to book far in advance!
[Featured image from Airbnb]