Historic Preservation Tuesday: Frank Lloyd Wright Hollyhock House reopens in Los Angeles

Exterior of Hollyhock House, Los Angeles. Photographer: Joshua White / JWPictures.

After a multi-year renovation, on Friday, the City of Los Angeles will reopen Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House, which is located in the Barnsdall Art Park.  This property is part of a grouping of Wright's buildings that have been nominated for listing on the UNESCO World Heritage List ("L.A.'s Hollyhock House among Wright's buildings up for World Heritage List," Los Angeles Times).

The restoration effort was spearheaded by a wide range of LA government agencies and nonprofit organizations:  City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), the Department of Recreation and Parks, Project Restore--a preservation group focused on the restoration of historic properties owned by the City of Los Angeles, Public Works - Bureau of Engineering, the Department of General Services, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation.

Library, Hollyhock House, Los Angeles. Photographer: Joshua White / JWPictures.

Hollyhock House is the first house of Wright’s second period and his first residence in Southern California.

Named for Barnsdall’s favorite flower, Hollyhock is incorporated throughout the design scheme of the residence.  The original floors, windows, doors, decorative molding, and long-forgotten paint colors have been recreated with utmost attention to detail. The renovation took place from 2008 though 2014, with a total of $4,359,000 spent on the project.

Special events for Friday's unveiling.  To mark the occasion, Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, chair of the City Council Committee on Arts, Parks, Health, Aging and Los Angeles River, will lead an Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with the project’s collaborators at 4:00 p.m.

As part of the reopening, the City of Los Angeles and the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation will open Hollyhock House for self-guided tours for 24 hours, commencing at 4:00 p.m. on February 13 until 4:00 p.m. on February 14, 2015.

Hollyhock House tours.  Going forward, starting next week, the reopened Hollyhock House will feature self-guided “Walk Wright In” tours on Thursdays through Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for a fee of $7 for adults, $3 for students, seniors and children under 12.

Barnsdale Art Park.  Hollyhock House is the centerpiece of a public park, the 36-acre site Barnsdall Art Park, which was donated to the city decades ago.  Over the past few decades additional facilities have been added, including a modern theatre, the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, and artist studios.

The theater is used for plays, dance, music, spoken word, lecture, film, and other events, and is home to the Independent Shakespeare Company's summer series and the Silverlake Conservatory of Music summer music camps for youth.