The Clarence Sondern House is a historic residence located at 3600 Belleview Ave in the Roanoke neighborhood of
Kansas City, Missouri. It is also known as the Sondern-Adler House.
History
Clarence Sondern commissioned
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...
to design the home in 1939, and it was constructed in 1940. The Sondern House is a single level with a flat roof in Wright's classic
Usonian
Usonia () is a word that was used by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright to refer to the United States in general (in preference to ''America''), and more specifically to his vision for the landscape of the country, including the planning of ...
style. Using a 4-foot X 4-foot grid (1.2 m) excised onto concrete floors, its masonry sections provide the support for many walls of glass. There are long overhangs on many portions of the house and a carport for the family's vehicle. This was the first home on which
Taliesin Fellowship member
John H. "Jack" Howe supervised the construction. The original construction was small in size, at just over .
The second owner of the home, Arnold Adler, hired Wright in 1948 to design an addition to the original structure. The addition included a new entry area, additional carports, a large dining room, and a living area with fireplace. An additional bedroom and baths were also added, bringing the total size of the house to . Since the home was built near a hill, the expanded living room was built a few steps down from the rest of the house, allowing for a higher ceiling and clerestory windows. The addition continued the use of tidewater cypress for the exterior and interior woodwork.
The famous American painter,
Thomas Hart Benton, lived in the house just next door to the Sondern House. While working for Sondern, Wright offered to tear down the "rat trap" of a stable at the rear of Benton property and design a good studio for Benton in its place.
The house was sold through "Heritage Auctions" in August 2019 for USD$920,000.
See also
*
List of Frank Lloyd Wright works
Frank Lloyd Wright designed over 425 houses, commercial buildings and other works.
"The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of a selection of eight buildings across the United States designe ...
References
* Storrer, William Allin. ''The Frank Lloyd Wright Companion''. University Of Chicago Press, 2006, (S.279 & S.307)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sondern House
Frank Lloyd Wright buildings
Houses in Kansas City, Missouri
Houses completed in 1948
Houses completed in 1940