Ben Rose House
The Ben Rose House is a private residence designed by modernist architect A. James Speyer, a student of Mies van der Rohe and built in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Illinois in 1953.[1]
| Ben Rose House | |
|---|---|
 Ben Rose House | |
| |
| General information | |
| Type | Residential |
| Architectural style | International Style, Modernist |
| Location | 370 Beech Highland Park, Illinois US |
| Coordinates | 42°10′25.21″N 87°47′07.83″W |
| Completed | 1953 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | David Haid, A. James Speyer |
History and description
The property sits "surrounded by trees in a ravine" and "was held up as a model for steel home craftsmanship."[2] Textile artist Ben Rose and his wife, Francis, moved into the property the same year. An adjoining pavilion meant to showcase the Roses' collection of exotic sports cars was added by David Haid, Speyer's student, in 1974.[3] The house was designated an official local landmark in 1987.[4] The two buildings are steel framed, rectangular, glass-and-wood boxes, and similar to Mies' iconic Farnsworth House, are both lifted off the ground on pylons.[1]
The house was featured in the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off after being selected by filmmaker John Hughes via studio executive Ned Tanen, a Ferrari collector and an acquaintance of Rose.[5]
The Ben Rose House was priced at $2.3 million in 2009, but most of the serious inquires came from buyers looking to tear the residence down.[2] It was briefly listed on preservation group Landmark Illinois' list of endangered buildings.[2] It was finally purchased for $1.06 million in 2014.[4]
In 2017, the new owners renovated the property, according to DNAinfo, "digging a 15-foot trench under the house that will become a two-car garage, children's play area, storage space and laundry room. However, its submerged configuration will keep it almost completely hidden" and the adjacent pavilion will be utilized as a guest house or for additional space.[2]
See also
References
- Rodkin, Dennis (August 7, 2013). "Here's Why That Ferris Bueller Ferrari House Is So Hard To Sell". Chicago. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
- Rice, Linze (June 8, 2017). "Stunning 'Ferris Bueller' Glass House Gets New Life With Major Restoration". DNA Info. Archived from the original on October 15, 2017. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
- "Buyers of 'Ferris Bueller' house plan to 'love it'". Chicago Tribune. June 4, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
- Kamin, Blair (March 14, 2015). "Midcentury modern masterpieces can be a tough sell". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
- Ferris Bueller's Day Off-(Commentary by John Hughes) (DVD). Paramount Pictures. October 19, 1999.