the alsop house, one of seven frank lloyd wright usonian homes in iowa, is for sale

designed by frank lloyd wright in 1947 and completed in 1951, the alsop house in oskaloosa, US, is currently offered for sale. the property is one of wright’s only seven usonian homes in iowa, while its design anticipates in countless ways the architect’s later ’50s works and midcentury modernism. nestled into the side of a south and east facing hillside, the 214 sqm (2300 sqft) home features four bedrooms and an expansive, open living/dining area divided by a cantilevered fireplace.all images by pat mahoney unless stated otherwise, courtesy of the frank lloyd wright building conservancy

in 1947, two young families from the small iowa town of oskaloosa approached frank lloyd wright and asked him to design two houses for them, now known as the carroll alsop house and the neighboring lamberson house. both were overseen by apprentice john dekoven hill, and constructed by builder jim de reus. the more spacious of the two, the alsop house, is currently offered as a private sale and not formally listed on the market.

the four bedroom property, one of only seven frank lloyd wright usonian houses in iowa, nestles into the side of a south and east facing hillside, maximizing views and solar gain. its interior spaces are arranged in a simple L-shaped plan, while only the primary bedroom deviates from the rectilinear design. the open living/dining area is divided by a dramatic cantilevered fireplace surrounded by glass walls rather than positioned near the workspace masonry core, as seen in most usonian houses.

the home’s material palette consists of red brick, cherokee-red tinted concrete floors, red tidewater cypress board and sunk batten walls, and plaster ceilings. included in the sale is the wright-designed furniture original to the house: three modular dining tables, eight dining/side chairs, and four square tables, all in fine vintage condition. in the 1980s, the original in floor heating was converted to forced air, and AC was added, while the original wood windows were replaced with the current white ones.