Reflecting Frank Lloyd Wright’s personal courage the Oscar B. Balch House stands before you. This Prairie-style home whispers tales of architectural innovation. It also whispers of personal defiance.
The Oscar B. Balch House located in Oak Park is a suburb of Chicago. Frank Lloyd Wright designed this house in 1911. It marked his return from a controversial trip to Europe with a client’s wife.
Wright’s actions led to social isolation. He lost friends, clients, and even his family. Yet, amidst this turmoil, he found support from Oscar Balch. Balch was an interior decorator and partner in Pebbles & Balch. Wright had redesigned Balch’s storefront in 1907.
Notice the flat roof. The Oscar B. Balch House is one of Wright’s first designs to feature this. The flat roof gives the home a horizontal linearity that defines the Prairie style.
The house proportions are taller than Wright’s later flat-roofed homes. Broad, overhanging eaves emphasize the Prairie theme. The exterior is sheathed in stucco creating a sculpted effect.
Historian Thomas O’Gorman suggested the Oscar B. Balch House offers a glimpse into Wright’s subconscious. The heightened terrace walls and obscured entryway hint at a sense of being besieged. Wright’s personal struggles may have influenced the design.
Step inside an imagine the interior. The first floor plan is similar to the Edwin H. Cheney House. It features a library, dining room, and living room. Low decks separate the spaces at the window heads.
In the living room a Roman brick fireplace anchors the space. Libraries flank either side of two small setback pavilions. These features create flow and symmetry. Copious use of glass brings natural light inside.
The Oscar B. Balch House has undergone renovations. Tim Pearson renovated the house between 1999 and 2016. In 2004, Pearson started a total restoration of the building. He added a new extension. Architect John Eifler worked off original plans replicating the original design.
More recently, Tom Bassett-Dilley Architects reduced the house’s carbon footprint. They replaced the roof with an airtight membrane. They also insulated the windows and installed a geothermal heating system.
Consider the significance of this building. The Oscar B. Balch House represents Wright’s return to architecture. It also represents his fully mature Prairie style. Its flat roof and horizontal lines continue ideas he began in the Mrs. Thomas H. Gale House.
The Oscar B. Balch House is a contributing property to the Frank Lloyd Wright-Prairie School of Architecture Historic District. This district was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
As you leave the Oscar B. Balch House remember its story. It is a story of personal courage, defiance, and architectural innovation. It’s a testament to Wright’s genius. It’s also a reflection of his complex life.