Designed by Bruce Goff
designed in 1947, built in 1948
701 W. Brooks, Norman
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The house is a rectangular-shaped, split-level home with a flagstone wall (including fireplace) running the entire length of the back wall and curtains of glass along the front of the house. Always eager to implement unconventional materials in his designs, Goff used dozens of clear glass ashtrays embedded in the doors…:
… and vertical wooden panels throughout the house to add natural light and subdued embellishment. On the exterior, the long, severe lines of the house are juxtaposed with cantilevered, UFO-shaped discs as a carport and covered patio.
With this innovative design, Goff signaled to the world that the future was now. The public must have agreed because the house caused such a sensation that, when it was opened to the public for a weekend tour soon after it was built, over 14,000 visitors showed up to get a first-hand look at the architectural wonder.
The home was added to the National Register in 1999 and is now owned by OU.
Go to the Mod Blog to view a 1948 Life magazine article and photo essay about the home:
And to see some of Terri’s photos of the house, go here.
Finally, to read more about Goff’s career, go here.