One of Louis Kahn’s Protégés Designed This $1M Pennsylvania Midcentury With a Koi Pond
Location: 1220 Susquehanna Road, Rydal, Pennsylvania
Price: $1,056,000
Year Built: 1957
Architect: Carlos Joseph Alvaré
Footprint: 2,244 Square Feet (3 Beds, 2 Baths)
Lot Size: .72 Acres
From the Agent: "The Rhode Residence is a remarkably preserved single-story midcentury-modern gem in Rydal, Pennsylvania, being offered for sale for only the second time since it was designed and built in 1957. Located in Abington Township, outside Philadelphia, the home was designed by Cuban-born architect Carlos Joseph Alvaré (1924–2017), who worked under Louis Kahn from 1947 to 1951. Alvaré studied architecture at Yale and the University of Pennsylvania, with connections to Oscar Niemeyer and Le Corbusier during his education.
Influenced by Kahn and other contemporary modernists, Alvaré designed award-winning homes characterized by facades of Pennsylvania fieldstone, open-flowing layouts, exposed structural elements, custom millwork, expansive windows, and dramatic ten-foot walls of glass that connect the interiors to the natural landscape. His work also emphasized thoughtful siting, natural light, and Japanese-inspired landscape design.
Commissioned by Meyer and Rhea Rhode, longtime patrons of Philadelphia’s arts community, the Rhode Residence is one of the finest surviving examples of Alvaré’s residential work. The home sits on a private, professionally landscaped 0.72-acre lot and retains many of its original architectural details, alongside updates to the roof, mechanical systems, kitchen, bathrooms, electrical system, flooring, lighting, and landscaping. Currently owned by a professional artist, it has been meticulously preserved.
Largely intact midcentury-modern homes by a Kahn protégé that are connected to Philadelphia’s modernist tradition are increasingly rare. The Rhode Residence offers an opportunity to experience a significant and well-preserved example of the region’s postwar residential architecture."
Architect Carlos Joseph Alvaré designed the home in 1957 after working under Louis Kahn from 1947 to 1951. Alvaré earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture from Yale and later studied at the University of Pennsylvania. At Yale, Oscar Niemeyer advised his senior thesis, and Le Corbusier judged his final project.
Ten-foot walls of glass bring the surrounding gardens into the dining area, while original exposed Douglas fir beams and tongue-and-groove ceilings run throughout the main living spaces.
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The single-story home has three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a living room, a flexible family room/office, and a detached two-car garage with a custom glass door.
The living room has one of the home’s two woodburning stone fireplaces.
Nearly every major room looks onto the surrounding gardens, terraces, and mature landscaping.
A custom stone landscape wall was completed by the landscape architect responsible for portions of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s walls.
A series of bluestone patios, courtyards, and terraces creates several outdoor sitting areas around the house, while the landscaped grounds include a koi pond, Pennsylvania fieldstone walkways, and a pergola-topped deck.
1220 Susquehanna Road in Rydal, Pennsylvania, is currently listed for $1,056,000 by Tim Owen at Compass.
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