Wright Chat

[Education Professor]

In my continuing studies of the Usonians, I've found very little information about the John O. Carr house. So far, I've located some info about Carr in Storrer and in FLLW The Houses. Does anyone have additional info about this design? I'm especially interested in interior/exterior photos. Any and all info would be greatly appreciated.

EP
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EP

[Roderick Grant]

There is an entry on this site, some time back, showing a tour through the house, which has been significantly enlarged by the addition of a family room. Geiger told me which apprentice was principally responsible for the design; I think he said Howe, but I'm not sure. FLW had little to do with it. It's a rather tortured interior, yet interesting at the same time. Taschen (pg 228) has just the plan and a perspective. Mono 7 (pp 298 - 300) includes two interior shots of the living room plus elevations.

[Paul Ringstrom]

John Eifler was involved in a restoration project for this house about twelve years ago. Maybe he has some photos on his website.

[Education Professor]

Does the Busche family still own the Carr residence?
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EP

[HowardRoark]

The house is currently owned by the Busche family. Edward S. Busche passed away in October of 2008, at the age of 80. His widow continues to live in the house, which has been her residence for 44 years. Please respect her privacy, and trust that I can provide you with whatever information you may need. I will try to provide a summary of the design modifications that Busche made to the home.

The house was completed in 1952 and Edward Busche purchased it from Carr in 1966. Busche was a partner in a commercial/industrial architectual firm, and later became a consultant for due diligence inspections. He was of course, a fan of Wright, and tastefully expanded the square footage of the home in 1982. He did this by drawing upon the existing form, shape, and materials of the house, while gently extending the design in three directions. The same roof lines where maintained, and all materials were painstakingly matched. The Usonian style relies heavily on the dominance of horizontal lines, which were accentuated by this approach.

The completed addition appeared in a 1982 issue of House Beautiful magazine. The interior shows no visible boundary between the old and new construction. One student of Wright, upon examining the house, remarked that he was unable to provide critique of the addition because it was impossible to determine where it began.

The interior is typical of other Usonian examples from that period, with lots of masonry, flagstone, and mahogany. French doors are a dominant feature as well. Busche went to great lengths to find the appropriate materials for the addition. Philippine Mahogany boards were hand-picked one by one, in order to match the ceilings and the walls of the existing structure. Mahogany forms were created from the original pierced block design, and that masonry element was reproduced in a similar manner throughout the addition. The forms were retained as a decorative art-piece, and are still displayed within the house.

The original design was rather small at 1900 square feet. The completed addition added just over 2,000 square feet to that. The home sits on 3 wooded acres, with an additional 3 acre vacant parcel to the North for added privacy. The family has been grateful to the architectural community for respecting that privacy over the years, and the home has appeared in few publications. Mrs. Busche has enjoyed raising champion Rhodesian Ridgebacks for 40 years on the property, and continues to keep several. In addition to the rather elaborate security system, the dogs have discouraged tourists and visitors (and the occasional utility worker).

When asked about selling the John O. Carr house, Mrs. Busche has eluded to an eventual sale, but has been reluctant to specify a date. The house remains in excellent condition. The reason for the relative obscurity of the home is rumored to be the result of Carr intially commissioning the design for a Park Ridge site, then later changing the location at the last minute. An interesting feature of the current location is the old Oak Tree that was allowed to remain and grows through an opening in the over-hanging roof.

[Wrightgeek]

Mr. Roark-

Thanks so much for that very informative update on the Carr Residence. Your participation here is very much appreciated, and I'd like to welcome you to our world. Now that you have made your presence known, please join in and feel free to share your knowledge. Thanks again, and we hope to hear more from you soon.

[Education Professor]

Dear Mr. Roark,

Thank you very much for providing us with some very insightful details about the little-known John O. Carr house. We will certainly respect the privacy of the Busche family. We welcome you to our community and appreciate your kind posting.
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EP

[Paul Ringstrom]

[HowardRoark]

The Architectural firm was Busche & Markson. To the best of my knowledge, Edward Busche was the lead architect on the 1982 addition. Other architects may have also been consulted or contracted for the design, but I have no specific information on that point. My gut feeling is that he would have consulted with students of Wright to gain a better perspective on the design.

Busche & Markson was dissolved in the 1980s when Edward Busche formed a consulting firm that worked primarily with investment REIT clients.

[Education Professor]

Mr. Roark,

Do you know in which month the House Beautiful article you referenced above was published?
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EP

[SDR]

photo © Alan Weintraub, pub 2007


Readers of Ayn Rand will recognize the name Howard Roark. . .!

SDR

[Jeff Myers]

Is this a photo after the Addition SDR?
If so I think I agree I can't tell if it is original or not. Very rarely do you get an owner who can do the addition the right way.
I praise that allot and though he took time to get the right materials it shows in the final piece. Should we post a floor plan here to show? I thought the incorporation of the tree through the roof speaks to being close to nature. Like a tree house almost as if the tree is where the plan starts and grows off of like the branch of the tree.
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JAT
Jeff T

[HowardRoark]

I can confirm that this is a photo taken after the addition. The camera is in the backyard of the house, and two of the three additions are visible here. The room closest to the camera was added. You will notice the roof line closely mimics that of the pre-existing structure behind it, although the closer roof is about 3 feet lower in elevation..

To the far left of the building, a small addition was made to the dining area, where the roof levels-off and becomes horizontal. This is roughly a 10x10 foot area. The remainder of the 1982 addition is not visible in this photograph, and must be seen from the opposite side of the house, from the front yard.

I will find some photographs and post them soon, along with a floor plan showing old and new. As for the exact date of the House Beautiful article, that is something I will need to research and post at a later date. I do not have a copy myself.

It is worth noting that the changes Busche made to the house extend out from the original core structure. It is possible to reverse the modifications and restore the building to its original design by eliminating the new construction. I am not suggesting that this is necessary, only that the additions did not alter the original structure aside from extend it.

[Education Professor]

Mr. Roark,

Many thanks for your insightful posts and for your willingness to provide information that will allow us to gain a better understanding of the Carr house both pre- and post-renovation.....
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EP

[HowardRoark]