The ARCHITECT'S HOUSE NEXT DOOR - backstory

Sandy Reese and Will Wiegler  bought their mid century modern house next door to The Rasmussen House in 2017. They got to know the owner, Bob, a bit although he kept to himself most of the time.  When they did spend time with him they learned that he was an architect and had been an apprentice to Frank Lloyd Wright.  They were honored to have a neighbor who had direct personal experience with Frank Lloyd Wright.

Every day Sandy and Will admired Bob's house from a distance and it was truly a work of art.  Being a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright,  Sandy appreciated the organic design elements - the low house seemingly growing out of a hill, the expanse of windows, the upward curving soffit of the flat roof and the use of natural materials. But there was more to the design then a Frank Lloyd Wright influence but she didn't learn that until later. 

Sandy and Will, of course, were curious to see the inside but they never got invited to see it as Bob's excuse was that he lived alone and the house was not suitable for guests.  Then one day Sandy invited Bob to be a guest of honor for a tour of their house organized by a Chicago-based group of MCM enthusiasts.   Not only was Bob's response "yes" to Sandy's invite  but he indicated that he would open his house for a tour as well.  Oh well, better late than never.

Bob passed away in 2021 at the age of 89.  While his family sorted through the various aspects of Bob's estate Sandy and Will offered to watch over the house for them.  They would check on it periodically and marvel at the attention to detail, quality and craftsmanship.  It was apparent that Bob dedicated himself to building the best home he could - always using the highest standards of products and performing most of the work himself with skills he learned while working with his father.

When Sandy and Will were given the opportunity to purchase The Rasmussen House they did it with purpose -- to protect an architectural gem.  They spent a lot of time getting to know the house and they subsequently learned a lot about Bob, his experiences as an apprentice and his work as an architect.  They also got to know his boys who shared a bit about growing up in such a unique house.  Sandy and Will spent a considerable amount of "invisible money" addressing some issues Bob stubbornly ignored.  While addressing maintenance issues, they also used Bob's house to raise funds for the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy by offering experiences for their silent auction.  The knew that Bob loved showing his house and they wanted to continue sharing the beauty of the property with friends and strangers.

Bob was proud of his Danish heritage and it became apparent as Sandy and Will spent more time in the house. Bob's house had a real sense of "hygge" -- a coziness and warmth and a sense security and safety frorn the outside world.  Bob may have viewed his house as his fortress of solitude.  Bob was also a man of integrity, authenticity and quality.  As they got more familiar with the house It became apparent to them that he put his heart and soul into building his home and everything he did was first class.  No corners were cut, no inferior product used -- everything was done with purpose and clarity in support of his view of living which was influenced by working with Frank Lloyd Wright and learning, from Wright, the teachings of Lao Tse.

After a health scare Sandy and Will realized they could not give the house the care and attention it needed and they knew that the house needed to be lived in, not just viewed from a distance. 

And so they put the house on the market hoping to find another steward to protect, preserve and love the house the way they did and the way Bob did.  When the house went on the market it was in excellent, move-in and live-in shape yet due to the unique design, age and unforeseen future maintenance, they decided to sell the the property "as is".  They also realized that anyone buying the house would want to make it their own and that some of the design integrity would be lost forever -- that was inevitable and therefore the reason for this website and a future book.  To tell Bob's story and  to share Bob's design philosophy inspired by his experience working with Frank Lloyd Wright.   Sandy and Will hope that sharing Bob's story and living philosophy will positively influence how others choose to live.