Modern Home in the Osage Hills

-
Several years ago we noticed an interesting real estate listing. It was a home for sale in Osage County "only 15 minutes from downtown."

It was advertised as a custom-built home on 5 acres. Seems like it mentioned something about being designed by a well-known architect (although I do not recall or know who did design this house).

We decided to take a drive and have a look at it.

At that time the house was essentially an unfinished project. For the most part it was all there, but a good deal was left to be done. We looked, snapped a few photos, thought it was interesting, but decided it would need too much "redesign" and way too much work.

For instance, the house pretty much had no kitchen. What sufficed for the kitchen was better suited to a break room or motel kitchenette. The concrete floors were plumbed for convection heating, but no heater was in place to connect.

The property this house is situated on is very cool. It's on top of a hill overlooking the rolling hills of the Osage. About 50 yards behind the house is a small pond.

The last I heard about this unusual property was in an article in the Tulsa World. It was back on the market, but this time it was finished and (gasp!) it even included a kitchen!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Do you have any follow up to this home? You mentioned Tulsa World ran an article on it? Any idea when or if it's still obtainable? It's a very fascinating design.
March 1, 2010 at 9:55 PM
Anonymous said…
I worked on this house (very briefly) when I was interning for Steve Turner. I want to say it was done for some with the last name of Kinney. Steve was a huge FLW fan and some of his other modern houses, including the Stokely residence in Broken Arrow, reflected that.
I remember the house being very open on the interior with a stepped vaulted ceiling. I have construction photos if anyone is interested......

Philip Doyle
March 2, 2010 at 8:35 AM
JRB said…
Hi Anonymous,

I should have pointed out- while this article is dated 2008, but our visit was circa 2001. I have a few more photos that might be worth posting.

It was probably 5 or 6 years ago when we saw the article in the World. Since that time I have learned the house was designed by an architect named Steven Turner. The home is situated on a hill overlooking the Post Oak Lodge and Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden.
March 2, 2010 at 9:02 AM
Anonymous said…
That was just what I thought it was influenced by whoever designed it, great to finally have a name to go with it. It definitely is in line with FLW designs. Would love to see more from construction or finished

Was the convection heater kept? That's extremely dated.
March 2, 2010 at 5:53 PM
JRB said…
I'll post some more of my photos of this house on our Facebook page. Check the gallery called Outtakes!

OK Modern on Facebook
March 3, 2010 at 5:54 PM
Anonymous said…
Is the property sold now? I'm interested if not occupied.
March 8, 2010 at 9:06 PM
Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

The Bruce Goff House in Vinita

-
Image
We were recently surprised to learn about a Goff-designed home just an hour away from Tulsa in Vinita, Oklahoma. Vinita is probably best known to OK Mod readers as the home of the Glass House on I-44, also known as (shudder) the World's Largest Largest McDonalds . Anywho, turned out the Goff house was on the market, and the owner was more than happy to let us have a look around. We took a short drive up the turnpike one Sunday afternoon to meet the realtor, snap some pictures, ask some questions and enjoy another one of Bruce Goff's unique creations. The home is known as the Adams House and was built in 1961. The 3,700 square foot home is arranged in a circular floor plan with a large sunken "conversation pit" at the center. Rising up from this pit is a large metal fireplace, its chimney surrounded by skylights, which dominates the entire house. Rooms surround the perimeter with folding accordion doors acting as walls. To maintain some semblance of privacy an inner...
Read more

Visit to the Prairie Chicken House

-
Image
This unique house on the edge of Norman, Oklahoma is known to most as the prairie chicken house. Designed by Herb Greene in 1960, he preferred to call it simply the Prairie House .  Thanks to the  Prairie House Preservation Society  (PHPS) it is now possible for the public to experience one of Oklahoma's most unusual architectural treasures. 
Read more

Home of ORU Architect on the Auction Block

-
Image
Frank Wallace is best known as the man behind the futuristic look of the Oral Roberts University campus. On October 14, 2010 his unique home overlooking ORU will be sold in a public auction conducted by Mister Ed's Auctions . Jackie and I recently had a chance to visit with Mr. Wallace and learn more about the house, his career and his thoughts on architecture. When we visited we expected to snap a few photos of an empty house and speak with a representative from the auction company. To our surprise the door opened, and we were greeted by Mr. Wallace himself! After assuring him we were not architects, he let us look around. Unfortunately we were not prepared to interview the man whose buildings incite such extremely diverse reactions- but that didn't stop me from asking him several questions anyway.  The home, completed in 1980, was designed and built by Wallace who is now 87. The expansive home is so large that Wallace spends most of his time in a room that was his la...
Read more