Malwa House is named for the house owner's favorite flower, Aline Barnsdall, an heiress to a Pennsylvania oil company. Its motifs are reflected in all seventeen rooms of the house. It was not only the architect's first project in the city, but also the beginning of a new style, the so-called California romance (California romanza). The word "romance" here represents the musical name of the genre, which is guided by the freedom of everyone to create their own forms.
The house, built in the middle of a huge courtyard, stands out beautifully against its surroundings. Numerous architectural elements underscore the connection between the interior of the house and its surroundings. It looks out over the Hollywood Hills.
The client, a famous traveler, philanthropist and philanthropist, hired Wright to create a theater complex where she could stage avant-garde productions, as well as her home, which would also be part of this complex. Construction began in 1919, but two years later the owner fired the architect because she was dissatisfied with the rising costs. Another architect, Rudolph Schindler, came all the way from Chicago to continue working on the projects.
In its nearly century-long history, the house has had many different uses and didn't become a museum until 1974, after extensive renovations.
The just-completed renovation cost the city more than four million dollars and fully restored its original appearance. The builders mainly focused on repairing leaking roofs, old floors, windows, doors and restoring the original colors of the walls.
Take a look at the Malwa House at Barnsdell Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, USA (4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 90027). Open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
