Gauler Twin Houses

Click for Larger View     Address: 5917 and 5921 N. Magnolia Ave.
Year Built: 1908
Architect: Walter Burley Griffin
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark:
June 28, 2000

Exterior Built as speculative housing for John Gauler, a Chicago butcher, this pair of wood-and-stucco residences is a rare example of a twin Prairie School design. Their architect, Walter Burley Griffin, is internationally recognized for his distinctive designs, as well as his contributions to the field of "land planning," including his master plan for Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The vertical composition of these houses was a hallmark of Griffin's work and demonstrates his skill in adapting Prairie-style principles to a relatively small, narrow urban site. The houses share a front entrance walkway and their floor plans are mirror images of one another.

Exterior 5921     Exterior 5917

Walter Burley Griffin
 
Prairie School
Innovative Housing
 
1.Exterior, photo by Ron Gordon, 1999
2.Floor plan from The Prairie School Review, First Quarter 1970
3.Exterior of 5921 N. Magnolia, photo by Ron Gordon, 1999
4.Exterior of 5921 N. Magnolia, photo by Ron Gordon, 1999