A full-scale replica of architect Paul Rudolph’s iconic 1952 Walker Guest House will be auctioned during this February’s Palm Springs Modernism Week. The project was commissioned by the Sarasota Architectural Foundation in 2015, with the intention of being exhibited at one or more cultural sites. The Replica was designed to be efficiently disassembled and rebuilt. The house was first installed on the grounds of The Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, FL, where it was seen by close to half a million visitors over 17 months and has been on view in Palm Springs, CA, since fall 2018.
The Walker Guest House Replica is offered partially furnished with faithful reproductions of the original furniture Rudolph designed for the house. The original 24-by-24-foot, 576 square-foot guest house, built in 1952, was named one of the most important houses of the twentieth century, along with Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House and Philip Johnson’s Glass House, in a 1957 survey of “Architectural Record” readers.
Auction proceeds will support the education and preservation programs of the not-for-profit Sarasota Architectural Foundation and the Palm Springs Modern Committee. Bidding starts Tuesday, February 4, 2020 with a $10,000 reserve.
Photographs and complete information about the auction are available on the following link:
https://fineart.ha.com/itm/other/paul-rudolph-american-1918-1997-the-walker-guest-house-full-scale-replicadesigned-1952-1953-this-example/p/8028-12001.s
(Please credit photographers when using their images.)
Heritage Auctions press contact: Brent Lewis brentl@ha.com
Text from the Heritage Auctions link follows:
Paul Rudolph (American, 1918-1997)
The Walker Guest House Full-Scale Replica, designed 1952-1953, this example 2015
Painted wood and plywood, metal, steel, painted cast-iron, glass, rope, linoleum, 24 feet x 24 feet (7.3 x 7.3 meters) (approximate)
The near-exact replica commissioned from the original Rudolph design by the Sarasota Architectural Foundation, offered partially furnished. The structure is currently installed in downtown Palm Springs, CA, between the Rowan Hotel and the Palm Springs Art Museum, and must be deinstalled by the buyer by March 24, 2020.
The Sarasota Architectural Foundation (SAF) commissioned this example of Paul Rudolph’s Walker Guest House (also known as “Cannonball House”) in response to the destruction of several structures designed by the architect. Originally built in 1952 in Sanibel, Florida, the present example was constructed from the original Rudolph plans, and initially installed on the grounds of The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art where it was open for tours from 2015 to 2017. Countless visitors have toured the interior and exterior of the 576-square-foot house to learn about Rudolph and discover the principles of the Sarasota School of Architecture movement. The structure was thoughtfully constructed with the intention to be portable, and in 2018, it was reinstalled in Palm Springs, where it was a feature of “Modernism Week,” the city’s biannual festival celebrating mid-century modern architecture and design.
“The SAF, whose mission is to educate about, advocate for and celebrate Sarasota’s mid-century modern heritage, undertook this project as an educational initiative,” SAF Chairman Dr. Christopher Wilson, Ph.D., said. “Recognizing that a majority of Sarasota School structures are private residences not normally accessible to the public, the SAF wanted to expose the forward-thinking principles of the ‘Sarasota School’ to a wider audience by constructing and exhibiting this replica.”
The Walker Guest house was Rudolph’s first design executed independently, and is considered among his most significant projects. Rudolph built numerous other influential residential buildings in the Sarasota, Florida region, including his so-called Umbrella House (1953) and Cocoon House (1950), designed with Ralph Twitchell. In 1997, Rudolph donated much of his archive to the Library of Congress, which helped establish the Library’s Center for Architecture, Design, and Engineering. By ensuring that his work was publicly accessible, he acted to see that his work could be preserved even if the original structures were not.”
The 24-by-24-foot structure features full-height, floor-to-ceiling glass walls and movable flaps that act as sun shades when raised and provide privacy when lowered. The flaps are controlled through the use of bright red counterweights on a rope rigging system, a process Rudolph learned during his time serving in the U.S. Navy. The cast weights resemble painted cannonballs, earning the structure the “Cannonball House” moniker. It will be offered at auction partially furnished with faithful reproductions of the original furniture Rudolph designed for the house and will be on display during Palm Springs Modernism Week this February. The bidding will start at $10,000 – the same amount as the original 1950s budget.
Auction specifics follow:
• Bidding begins Tuesday, February 4, 2020
• Auction date: Tuesday, February 25, 2020
After Internet bidding closes, live bidding will take place through https://www.ha.com/c/halive/?type=surl-live. Your secret maximum bid placed prior to the live event will compete against the live bids. To maximize your chances of winning, enter realistic secret maximum bids on our site. Many of our proxy bidders are successful at winning lots in these auctions, and usually below their secret maximum. You can also place last minute bids directly with us by e-mailing Bid@HA.com or calling 1-866-835-3243. (Important note: Due to software and Internet latency, live bids may not register in time, so enter realistic proxy bids.)