Crumbling Classic: A Louis Kahn to Call Your Own, for Less Than $300,000

The prospect of owning a home designed by an iconic architect remains a fanciful dream for most of us — but in New Jersey, that dream could be about to come true for one lucky buyer. Those Louis Kahn-worthy Nikes are long sold out by now, but now you can do one better: The ‘Clever House,’ a 3-bedroom residential property designed by the legendary American architect, is up for sale for just $290,000, an extraordinary bargain considering its famous origins. Of course, the low pricetag is largely due to the fact that the house is “under threat” from a lack of upkeep and maintenance, and its deteriorating condition will not have been helped by this week’s blizzard bombardment…

Via The Penn Gazette

A sympathetic renovation of this timeworn abode will undoubtedly prove challenging, but Americans have already shown a hearty appetite for rescuing works by one of their most celebrated architects, regardless of scale. As Brigette Brown reported last year, one of Kahn’s seminal projects — the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California — is now the object of an extensive restoration plan, spearheaded by the Getty Conservation Institute. But will the right private buyer come forward to help bring one of Kahn’s smaller buildings back to its former glory?

Via Philly Mag

The Cherry Hill, NJ house was designed and built between 1957 and 1962 for namesakes Fred and Elaine Clever, combining conventional construction styles with a few typically unorthodox details courtesy of Kahn. Its defining space is the open plan living room, which features an extraordinary timber-clad pyramidal ceiling at a lofty 18 feet above the concrete floor. The gables have been folded and tweaked to form enormous triangular windows, allowing soft light to stream in from all angles. Fred and Elaine were Quakers and civil rights activists, and often hosted meetings and events in this cavernous mixed-use room.

Via Philly Mag

Six smaller rooms surround the cathedral-like central space, including a kitchen, a study, and bedrooms. The concrete floors throughout complement timber detailing — door frames, integrated bookshelves, louvered shutters — much like the material palette used in some of Kahn’s more illustrious creations. The wooden features continue outside, with a weathered timber deck overlooking the surrounding forest.

This curious architectural artifact clearly demands a substantial amount of work, but certain features — the unique roof and fenestration of the central living room, in particular — provide glimpses of Kahn’s genius and will no doubt draw interest from a number of parties.

Exactly how much value is added through the architectural significance of this property is difficult to quantify. The average for-sale price for 3-bedroom properties in Cherry Hill currently stands at $230,000, so it appears that the Louis Kahn link (and high land values in this area) adds a good $60,000 — a 25% markup — to the asking price, despite the property’s rundown state.

Via Philly Mag

Three other factors work in the building’s favor: its status as a detached property with a good deal of external space, its location within picturesque woodlands, and the fact that it was well-loved by its original owners for 40 years: Fred and Elaine resided here until they passed away in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Now, this quirky house is in need of adoption, preferably by someone with a penchant for experimental architecture and an appreciation of American architectural heritage.

Interested? I know I am!

Yours residentially,

The Angry Architect

Top image via Quazoo