The George Doering House

Architect: Edward Humrich

Built: 1964

By 1964 Humrich had already designed several houses in Riverwoods. Blending indoor and outdoor space was a concept that guided Humrich and other modernist architects, and the organic materials and large windows open this house to nature, while the low-slung roof, deep eaves and horizontal forms help blend the house with the site. A massive fireplace is a gathering spot and the exposed interior brick brings the outside in. Skylights and French doors further connect indoor-outdoor space.

The George Gessner House

Architect: Edward Humrich

Built: 1960

The sheltering roofline of this house protects the vertical wood siding and helps shade the large glass doors extending across the rear of the house. Two angular wings meet at a prominent circular limestone chimney that projects above the roofline. Stonework at the exterior first floor was meant to look like a natural outcropping, making the house at one with its site. In a 1986 oral history at the Art Institute of Chicago, Edward Humrich stated this was his “favorite house”.

The David Minsk House

Architects: Keck and Keck

Built: 1955 (William Keck remodel: 1968)

The Minsk house has all the classic Keck and Keck design elements the brothers are known for. The post and beam construction, modular plan, floor to ceiling glass, and wood vents are telltale signs this is a “Keck house.” William Keck was hired by the second owner to design a family room addition to the original house. The current owners purchased the house in 1986 and have also enlarged the home while maintaining its integrity and scale. Radiant heat was added but was a common feature in Keck homes.

The Martin and Virgina Tausz House

Architect: Edward Humrich

Built: 1961

The Martin and Virginia Tausz House embraces its forested Riverwoods setting. With deep brown horizontal wood siding and broad overhangs, the house reflects Edward Humrich’s fondness for Frank Lloyd Wright and the subtle beauties of a prairie landscape. This home opens at the back with vast expanses of glass to visually connect with the surrounding landscape – which has been developed by the current owners and will be a highlight of the tour.

The Haskell Wexler House

Architect: Edward Humrich

Built: 1947

The Haskell Wexler House was the first of Edward Humrich’s houses in Riverwoods. The village was unincorporated at the time, and it was an exciting opportunity for Humrich to continue to bring his  unique “organic modern” style to the new suburb. Designing houses for primarily young families, Humrich often worked within a tight budget. To make even a modest home feel special, he carefully sited his homes to take advantage of the natural setting.

BONUS HOUSE*

The Lloyd Lewis House

Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright

Built: 1939

The Kathryn and Lloyd Lewis House in Libertyville, Illinois was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1939 for the editor of the Chicago Daily News. The two-story house is a relatively rare Usonian Wright design constructed before World War II. Materials consist of Chicago Common Brick and Tidewater Cypress used on walls, ceilings and floors, giving the exterior and interior a warm glow. While close to Chicago, the siting of the house with a forested approach and perched above the Des Plaines River make the location feel secluded.

*Separate ticket: must provide own transportation. Afternoon tour participants are encouraged to visit the Lloyd Lewis House in the morning.

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959)

Frank Lloyd Wright designed organic houses that fit their natural surroundings, although his approach changed during his long and fruitful career. His later work, from 1934 forward, began with the Wiley House (Minneapolis, MN) and followed in 1937 with the first Jacobs House (Madison, WI). Wright designed approximately 60 houses that he called “Usonian” homes—a riff on the United States of North America – characterized by natural materials; flat roofs and large cantilevered overhangs for passive solar heating and cooling; natural lighting provided by windows that framed views; and radiant-floor heating. These homes, often built for a progressive, middle-class clientele, were typically modest, single-story dwellings, with carports and built-in furniture.

Edward Humrich (1902-1991)

Edward Humrich established the architectural character of Riverwoods. His wood, Chicago common brick, limestone, and glass single-story houses tuck into the woods, contributing to the bucolic character of this unique Chicago suburb. He shared Frank Lloyd Wright’s love of organic architecture set within  natural surroundings, and Humrich’s houses are highly valued for their connections to nature. Although he designed houses for many Chicago suburbs, the highest concentration is located in Riverwoods. When asked in an interview about his approach to architectural design, he said simply, “I think a house, any building, should go with the land, not violate the land.”

Keck and Keck

George Fred (1895-1980) and William Keck (1908-1995)

Keck and Keck are perhaps best known for being leaders in passive solar design. The firm rose to prominence with the House of Tomorrow and Crystal House, built for the 1933-34 Chicago World’s Fair – which led to numerous modern homes across the Chicago area. Siting was paramount and the firm generated studies to site the homes and size windows and overhangs according to the path of the sun. Broad overhangs on the south allowed solar gain in winter and solar shading in summer.  Many of their post-World War II era houses are now classic examples of Midcentury Modern architecture–with flat roofs, large expanses of windows, and open floor plans. The firm’s homes had no applied ornament nor historic references, but utilized natural materials on both the interior and exterior. The Keck brothers helped promote the idea that good modern design could be affordable.