Carlton D. Wall House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Carlton D. Wall House ("Snowflake")
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| Location | 12305 Beck Rd., Plymouth, Michigan |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1941 |
| Architect | Frank Lloyd Wright |
| Architectural style | Usonian |
| Added to NRHP | June 28, 1994 |
The Carlton D. Wall House, also known as Snowflake, is a special home designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is located in Plymouth Township, Michigan. This house is one of Wright's more detailed "Usonian" homes. Usonian homes were a style of affordable, simple, and beautiful houses that Wright designed for middle-income families in the United States.
In 1941, a young couple, Mr. and Mrs. Carlton David Wall, asked Wright to design their new home. They were Wright's youngest clients at the time. Carlton Wall had studied Wright's unique architecture in college.
What Makes Snowflake Special?
The Snowflake house has a very unique shape. It is made of many hexagons that spread out from a central chimney. This means the house does not have any true right-angle corners. It has different sections, or "wings," for a nursery, a patio, a guest room, and a carport.
The house is built with cypress wood and brick. It got the name Snowflake because of the hexagonal patterns. These patterns look like the shape of a snowflake. This was the first time Wright used this kind of "modular diamond structure" in Michigan. He often used this design when building a house on a hillside.
Connecting Inside and Outside
A large brick wall supports a beautiful patio. The house has big windows that go from the floor to the ceiling. The doors also have no frames between the glass panes. There are even windows in the corners of the rooms. All these features help bring the "outside in." This means the house feels connected to nature around it. This idea was very important in all of Frank Lloyd Wright's designs.
From 1943 to 1944, an artist named Milton Horn worked with Wright. They created a special wood mural for the house. In 1947, a large bedroom section was added to the house. This was done to make space for the Walls' growing family. This new part is located on the west side of the original house.
Who Lived in Snowflake?
In 1983, Tom Monaghan bought the Snowflake house. He is the person who founded Domino's Pizza. His company executives used the house for a while. Mr. Monaghan wanted the house to be part of his Frank Lloyd Wright Study Center. This center would help people learn more about Wright's architecture.
In the late 1980s, the house was sold again. The current owners live there as their personal home.
