The Winton Guest House, designed by Frank Gehry, was commissioned by Mike and Penny Winton in 1982. This guest house originally stood in Wayzata, Minnesota, as part of the Wintons’ larger estate, which also featured a Philip Johnson house from the 1950s. Gehry’s design was undeterred by the proximity to Johnson’s mid-century modernism, instead showcasing his groundbreaking and playful architectural style. The guest house became recognized as one of Gehry’s most notable projects upon its completion in 1987, a composition in which architecture is intentionally conceptualized as art. The house appears as a freestanding sculpture from certain vantage points, accentuating the surrounding landscape.
Winton Guest House Technical Information
- Architects: Frank Gehry
- Location: Originally Wayzata, Minnesota, later relocated to Owatonna, Minnesota, and finally to the Hudson River Valley, New York State, USA
- Topics: Deconstructivism
- Project Year: 1982 – 1987
- Photographs: © Courtesy of University of Saint Thomas
I wanted this building to have a certain amount of humor and mystery and fantasy, so that visiting children will remember their trip to grandma’s house.
– Frank Gehry1
Winton Guest House Photographs
Winton Guest House Architectural Concept
The Winton Guest House holds a crucial place in Gehry’s career, marking a period where his architectural language began to solidify into the fragmented, sculptural forms that would later define his most famous works. It is often viewed as a precursor to Gehry’s celebrated deconstructivist approach. This style challenges conventional notions of architecture by breaking down traditional forms and reassembling them into something radically new. Many consider this project a turning point in Gehry’s career, after which he increasingly moved out of the domestic realm and focused on more public commissions. The guest house propelled Gehry into international stardom in the 1990s, setting the stage for later iconic projects like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
In the Winton Guest House, rather than adhering to a single, unified shape, Gehry fragmented the house into a series of distinct geometric forms, each representing a different function or space within the home. These forms include a brick fireplace tower, a pyramid-shaped living room, a conical stucco bedroom, and a cube-shaped bathroom. Despite the complexity of these forms, Gehry ensured they were conventional in their geometry, especially when compared to the digitally derived elements of his later work. Each form stands independently with minimal physical connection to the others, enhancing the building’s sculptural quality.
The spatial organization of the Winton Guest House reflects Gehry’s unconventional approach to design. The house is arranged as a collection of discrete volumes, each dedicated to a specific function. This separation of spaces disrupts the typical flow of domestic interiors, requiring inhabitants to move through different forms to experience the full range of the house’s offerings. The central living room acts as a hub from which the other forms radiate, creating a pin-wheeling effect that unifies the disparate elements. The spatial layout is intentionally disjointed, encouraging exploration and a sense of discovery.
One of the most striking aspects of the Winton Guest House is its sculptural quality. Gehry treats the house as a work of art composed of multiple sculptural forms that interact to create a visually compelling whole. The house’s design blurs the line between architecture and sculpture, challenging the viewer to reconsider the boundaries between these disciplines. The bold forms, varied materials, and dynamic composition all contribute to the house’s status as an architectural sculpture, making it as much an artistic statement as it is a functional living space.
Materiality and Construction
The Winton Guest House is a study of diverse materials, each chosen to highlight the distinct forms that make up the structure. Gehry selected various materials, including black-painted metal for the pyramidal living room, brick for the fireplace room, and a mixture of Finnish plywood (Finn-ply) and aluminum strips for the garage/kitchenette. Each material emphasizes the geometric volumes’ individuality, creating a dialogue between the different parts of the house. Notably, the curving stone bedroom is constructed with dolomitic limestone from the Vetter Stone Quarry in Minnesota, with intricate stone cuts that enhance the room’s tactile and visual texture.
Gehry’s design for the Winton Guest House presented unique construction challenges. The unconventional forms required innovative structural solutions to bring the design to life. Gehry and his team worked closely with engineers to ensure that each form could be realized as intended without compromising the house’s structural integrity. Advanced construction techniques allowed for the precise execution of Gehry’s vision, from the angular lines of the living room pyramid to the smooth curves of the stone bedroom.
Initially situated in a lush, wooded area of Minnesota, the Winton Guest House was designed to interact with its natural surroundings. The distinct forms of the house were intended to contrast with the organic landscape, creating a striking visual dialogue between the built and natural environments. The relocation of the house to Owatonna, Minnesota, in 2007, and later to an undisclosed location in the Hudson River Valley of New York State in 2016, posed new challenges in maintaining this relationship. The change in setting has prompted discussions about how context influences architectural meaning and how contemporary works can be preserved or adapted without losing their original intent.
Critical Analysis
The Winton Guest House is a significant achievement in Frank Gehry’s architectural career, showcasing his ability to blend artistic expression with functional design. One of the most notable successes of the project is its innovative spatial dynamics. By fragmenting the house into separate geometric volumes, Gehry created a living space that encourages exploration and interaction, making the home an engaging environment for its occupants. The varied forms and materials used in the house provide a visually stimulating experience and define the distinct functions of each space, enhancing the overall livability of the design.
The house also exemplifies Gehry’s mastery in balancing artistic creativity with practical considerations. Despite the unconventional forms, the Winton Guest House remains a functional residence, with each space thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of its users. The use of light and the careful positioning of windows further enhance the house’s appeal, creating an ever-changing play of shadows and reflections that adds to the house’s sculptural quality. This interplay between form, function, and light is a hallmark of Gehry’s work and is particularly well-executed in the Winton Guest House.
Architectural Critiques
While the Winton Guest House is celebrated for its bold design, it is not without its critiques. One of the main criticisms lies in the practicality of the fragmented spaces. Separating the house into distinct geometric volumes can make the flow between spaces feel disjointed, potentially disrupting the day-to-day functionality of the residence. For some, the house’s design prioritizes artistic expression over the practicalities of domestic life, leading to a space that is more suited to being an architectural statement than a comfortable home.
Another point of critique is the coherence between the forms. While the use of different shapes and materials is intended to create a dynamic composition, some critics argue that the lack of a unifying element can make the house feel visually chaotic. This fragmentation, while intentional, may detract from the overall sense of harmony within the design. Additionally, the relocation of the house to Owatonna and later to New York has raised questions about the impact of moving a site-specific work of architecture, as the new context may not fully support the original design intent.
Winton Guest House Plans
Winton Guest House Image Gallery
About Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry is a Canadian-American architect born in Toronto, Canada, on February 28, 1929. Gehry is celebrated for pioneering deconstructivism, a style characterized by fragmented forms, unconventional shapes, and innovative use of materials. His most iconic works include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and the Dancing House in Prague. Gehry’s designs often blur the boundaries between architecture and sculpture, making his buildings as much artistic statements as they are functional spaces. His bold, imaginative approach to architecture has earned him numerous accolades, including the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1989.
Notes & Additional Credits
- Friedman, Mildred. Frank Gehry: The Houses. New York: Rizzoli, 2009.
