In Chicago's neighborhoods, the creative genius of late architect Bruce Goff lies in plain sight. Currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago is the "Material Worlds" exhibition, showcasing not only his groundbreaking architectural designs but also his music and art. For a decade from 1934 to 1942, Goff lived and worked in Chicago, where he developed an independent architectural practice and created homes that defied conventional design norms.
Five Illinois residences designed by Goff are worth visiting: the Helen Unseth House, the Charles Turzak Residence, the Chester and Irma Rant House, the Myron Bachman Residence, and the Ruth Van Sickle Ford and Sam Ford House. These structures showcase Goff's innovative use of materials, circular floor plans, triangular windows, and imaginative design elements that challenge our understanding of home architecture.
One such house is the Helen Unseth House in Park Ridge, designed for a young family who wanted a unique residence. The triangle-shaped structure features diagonal wood boards covering the front windows and a vertical row of heavy glass ashtrays punctuating the main entrance. Goff's design not only respects its surroundings but also wildly diverges from neighboring houses.
Goff worked closely with his clients, often becoming close friends and patrons, to create homes that met their daily needs while pushing the boundaries of conventional design. The Charles Turzak Residence in Edison Park exemplifies this approach, featuring a flat-roofed, two-story structure with large wooden balconies and overhangs emphasizing horizontal planes and shifting shapes.
The Myron Bachman Residence in Uptown is another striking example, its silvery angular shape resembling a space-age vessel. Goff's innovative use of corrugated aluminum conceals and dramatizes original elements of the late 19th-century structure.
Goff's design for the Ruth Van Sickle Ford and Sam Ford House in Aurora features a series of circular planes, including a central sunken kitchen, fireplace, and long curving couch under an overhead open-air platform serving as Ford's studio. This home showcases Goff's ability to create spaces that invite diverse reactions.
After visiting these homes, one can pay their respects to Goff at his grave in Graceland Cemetery, the final resting place of many notable Chicago architects, including Daniel Burnham and Louis Sullivan. His remains were interred there in 2000, with a curved, triangular gravestone designed by former student Grant Gustafson, featuring a fragment of cullet glass saved from the Oklahoma home he built for patron Joe Price, which burned down in 1996.
A tour of these five residences offers locals the chance to appreciate Goff's development as an architect and experience his creative genius firsthand.
Five Illinois residences designed by Goff are worth visiting: the Helen Unseth House, the Charles Turzak Residence, the Chester and Irma Rant House, the Myron Bachman Residence, and the Ruth Van Sickle Ford and Sam Ford House. These structures showcase Goff's innovative use of materials, circular floor plans, triangular windows, and imaginative design elements that challenge our understanding of home architecture.
One such house is the Helen Unseth House in Park Ridge, designed for a young family who wanted a unique residence. The triangle-shaped structure features diagonal wood boards covering the front windows and a vertical row of heavy glass ashtrays punctuating the main entrance. Goff's design not only respects its surroundings but also wildly diverges from neighboring houses.
Goff worked closely with his clients, often becoming close friends and patrons, to create homes that met their daily needs while pushing the boundaries of conventional design. The Charles Turzak Residence in Edison Park exemplifies this approach, featuring a flat-roofed, two-story structure with large wooden balconies and overhangs emphasizing horizontal planes and shifting shapes.
The Myron Bachman Residence in Uptown is another striking example, its silvery angular shape resembling a space-age vessel. Goff's innovative use of corrugated aluminum conceals and dramatizes original elements of the late 19th-century structure.
Goff's design for the Ruth Van Sickle Ford and Sam Ford House in Aurora features a series of circular planes, including a central sunken kitchen, fireplace, and long curving couch under an overhead open-air platform serving as Ford's studio. This home showcases Goff's ability to create spaces that invite diverse reactions.
After visiting these homes, one can pay their respects to Goff at his grave in Graceland Cemetery, the final resting place of many notable Chicago architects, including Daniel Burnham and Louis Sullivan. His remains were interred there in 2000, with a curved, triangular gravestone designed by former student Grant Gustafson, featuring a fragment of cullet glass saved from the Oklahoma home he built for patron Joe Price, which burned down in 1996.
A tour of these five residences offers locals the chance to appreciate Goff's development as an architect and experience his creative genius firsthand.
i'm low-key obsessed with circular spaces and that sunken kitchen in her home is giving me LIFE 
plus the combination of corrugated aluminum & late 19th-century structure is like, genius level design 
. His designs are like nothing I've ever seen before - so unique and special. It's crazy that he was able to create these homes from scratch and make them work with the materials he had available at the time. And I love how he got to know his clients and understood what they needed, but also wanted to push boundaries and try new things 
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. I think it's beautiful how his legacy lives on through the homes he designed, and now locals get to experience them for themselves.
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just saw this exhibit at art institute and i gotta say bruce goff was a total game changer for homes 
and it's dope to see his music and art on display too 
i mean the helen unseth house is literally a triangle with ashtrays as a main entrance 
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. And can we talk about how Goff collaborated with his clients to create homes that were both functional and truly one-of-a-kind? It's like he understood that sometimes, you just need a house that makes a statement 
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. And the story behind Goff's grave in Graceland Cemetery? So beautiful 
. Definitely adding this tour to my bucket list ASAP 
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. It's awesome how his designs respected the surroundings but also pushed boundaries – it's like he was trying to make a statement about what a home could be, not just a place to live 
. I think thats what makes his designs so special – they're not just buildings, but spaces that invite people in and make them feel something 
. And can you believe some of these houses are over 80 years old? That's insane! 
, that Bruce Goff guy was like a total game changer in Chicago's architecture scene! I mean, he was all about breaking the rules and pushing boundaries with his designs 
. And can we talk about how cool it is that he got so close with his clients? It's like he was a total artist and their home was just one of many masterpieces 
. Bruce Goff's designs are literally ahead of their time, you know? Like, who else was doing triangle-shaped houses in the 30s and 40s?! 
. The Helen Unseth House is my fave so far, with its triangle-shaped structure that looks like it was plucked straight from sci-fi! And can we talk about how Goff worked closely with his clients to create homes that met their needs while still being super innovative? It's giving me life 
. Anyway, if you're in Chicago, you gotta check out these homes - it's a total must-see for architecture buffs and anyone looking for some serious design inspiration 
The Art Institute of Chicago has this amazing exhibit "Material Worlds" featuring the works of Bruce Goff, and it's really giving me a new appreciation for his unique architectural style