Frank Lloyd Wright fans, take note—one of the architect’s most notable homes is on the market in Los Angeles. Completed in 1925, the hillside dwelling served as a salon space and residence for Samuel and Harriet Freeman, who became enthralled with Wright’s work after staying as guests at the nearby Hollyhock House, which the architect designed in 1922.

According to historical records, the Freemans approached Wright with a $10,000 commission (although the project would ultimately cost $23,000) to create a residence that could accommodate large and small gatherings. They promoted their home as a place for avant-garde artistic and political deliberation, and over the years they hosted guests including Edward Weston, Martha Graham, Galka Scheyer, Jean Negulesco, Richard Neutra, Xavier Cugat, and Clark Gable.

As architectural historian Kathryn Smith notes, “this is one of Wright’s 20 most important houses...it is the missing link between two World Heritage sites: Taliesin and Fallingwater.”

The 2,884-square-foot home is one of three textile-block houses Wright designed for the Hollywood Hills in the 1920s. While it appears from the street to be only one floor, the home maximizes its steep site by extending two additional levels down the slope.

“The spatial design, the main room opening through transparent diagonal corners, the unique concrete block detailing, and the bold hillside setting with expansive city views...all create a spectacular expression,” says Smith.

In the mid-1980s, the home was given to the USC School of Architecture by Harriet Freeman. Though its structure was fundamentally sound at the time, the home was rendered uninhabitable after damage by the 1994 Northridge earthquake. While a three-phase rehabilitation plan was devised and work began in 2000, the project stalled after the first phase due to lack of funding, and the home is still in need of restoration today.

“Ideally, this property presents an opportunity to restore and live in an important Los Angeles landmark—an opportunity requiring a passion for history and architecture,” says listing agent Mike Deasy. Now listed for $4,250,000, the structure comes with many of the original furnishings designed for the house.

1962 Glencoe Way, in Hollywood, California, is currently listed for $4,250,000 by Mike Deasy of Deasy Penner Podley. To learn more about the history of the Samuel & Harriet Freeman House, please visit the official home website.

Project Credits:

The photographs are from March and September 1972, with permission from Harriet Freeman and courtesy of Dan Soderberg.

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