Adelman Residence Restoration + Pool House

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Adelman House (built 1948) is an outstanding example of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian-style architecture.

The Adelman family hired TKWA in the dual capacity of architect and construction manager to undertake the first comprehensive restoration of the historic home. Prior to these efforts, the house had no major alterations since original construction. Project goals included improved energy efficiency (without altering the building’s historic character), repair and reconditioning of the building’s structure, finishes, mechanical systems, and design of a reconfigured master bathroom. The restoration followed the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Historic Preservation Standards.

2016 AIA Wisconsin Design Award Winner
American Institute of Architects

 

LOCATION

Fox Point, WI

SCALE

3,000 sf

PROGRAM

Renovation and addition to a historic Frank Lloyd Wright residence.

STATUS

Completed 2014

During the final phase of restoration, the client asked that a new pool and pool house addition be designed. The pool was located true to Wright’s original site plan (in which a pool was shown but not originally built). The pool house was designed to compliment the existing house design and materials without resorting to historic mimicry. The resulting site plan created a new private courtyard oasis and corrected poor site slope and drainage.

A wide-angle view of the pool house and main residence at the Adelman property, showcasing a red concrete patio, outdoor seating area, and layered landscape design framed by mature trees and privacy hedges.

Warm wood-lined pool house locker room featuring vertical grain Douglas fir, polished concrete floors, custom cabinetry, and built-in towel storage adjacent to a glass-enclosed shower with integrated bench seating.

 

“A beautiful and sensitive restoration, with an addition that supports and enhances the original home. The architect’s design solution is a model for the creative integration of modern energy efficient mechanical systems into a historic structure.”
— Jury Comment

 

 Restored mid-century pool house and main residence with cedar siding, bluestone patio, and integrated lap pool surrounded by mature trees and modern landscaping.

Evening view of a modernist cedar pool house with horizontal wood slats, deep roof overhangs, expansive glazing, and a glowing pool surrounded by bluestone pavers and lounge seating.