What Are America’s Most Iconic Homes?
According to the National Building Museum, these houses, more than most, have impacted the way we live
- By Megan Gambino
- Smithsonian.com, April 27, 2012
Oak Alley, Vacherie, Louisiana. Architect: Gilbert Joseph Pilie. Built: 1836. (Model by Studios Eichbaum + Arnold, 2008. Photo by Museum staff.)
In its newest exhibition, the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., takes on a topic near and dear to us all: home. As its title “House & Home” suggests, the show, which opens April 28, thoughtfully considers the difference between the physical structure and the sentimental idea.
“America is a house-proud nation,” says Thomas Mellins, an architectural historian and guest curator. Almost more so than anywhere else, he adds, in America, people see their homes as reflections of their inner selves.
Running through the center of the exhibition, which includes actual wall frames and a spread of some 200 quintessential household objects, is a fabulous row of 14 celebrated American houses, reproduced as intricate scale models. (Here, we show nine.)
A variety of criteria were used to select the residences. “Sometimes their most powerful association is with an individual,” says Mellins. Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, is included. “Sometimes it may be a cultural change,” he says. To address urbanization, there is Astor Court, one of the first courtyard-style apartment buildings in New York City. “And, sometimes it has to do with its impact,” he adds. Sea Ranch, a community in northern California, basically defined a way of building vacation homes. “They are all considered high points of architecture as an art,” says Mellins.
Comments (4)
Ah, the East coast bias. California's Sea Ranch influenced nothing. The Greene and Greene houses set the standard for the style that would be come a "California Craftsman" home. Individual G&G homes may be hard to put on the list, but they are neither less deserving nor less iconic than those on the list. Look only to the Robert R. Blacker house ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_R._Blacker_House ) or the Gamble house ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamble_House_(Pasadena,_California) ) for examples. Indeed, the Gamble house is a public museum, and one of the best examples of the style, form, methods, and techniques that would come to define West coast style for the next century beyond its construction. How many houses on this list can say the same? --Thom
Posted by Thomas on May 15,2012 | 01:18 AM
Agree with most on the list but Richard Morris Hunt's contributions with the Vanderbilt's "Biltmore" in Ashville, N.C. or "The Breakers" in Newport, R.I. can hardly be ignored. Probably America's first most influential but if not tragically passed-over architects Benjamin Latrobe's "Decatur House" in Washington, D.C. was home to many powerful early American lawmakers. Julia Morgan's "San Simeon" also known as Hearst Castle could also stand shoulder to shoulder with Vizcaya!
Posted by Marc Legris on May 10,2012 | 07:56 PM
Um, I think you missed Falling Water in the list, Arline.
Posted by PTBoat on May 7,2012 | 10:09 AM
I don't disagree that these homes are quite iconic and impressive, but I cannot fathom a list of iconic homes not including one of the Frank Lloyd Wright homes. Maybe not as old or as big, but certainly one of the, if not The most iconic of homes.
Posted by Arline Esposito on May 3,2012 | 06:12 PM