Located on almost an acre of land in Manchester, N.H., a rare Usonian Automatic house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright just hit the market. Wright completed the Toufic H. Kalil Usonian Automatic House in 1957 for Toufic Kalil, a local radiologist and his wife Mildred. According to the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, the house remains in "remarkably good condition," and is one of only seven examples of Wright's Usonian Automatic designs. With two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and original furnishings, the 1,406 square-foot house is up for sale at $850,000 for the first time since its completion.
After admiring the house that Wright had completed for a neighbor, the Kalil family contacted and commissioned Wright in 1954. Working in his iconic Usonian style, Wright oriented the single-story house in an L-shape. Characteristic of his limited Usonian Automatic projects, Wright used concrete-molded blocks for the structure, reinforcing them with horizontal and vertical rebar. Although Wright initially estimated a construction cost of $25,000 to $30,000, the final cost topped out closer to $80,000 (more than $730,000 given current inflation).
Wright incorporated many of his classic design elements such as mahogany paneling and concrete floors with radiant heating into the Kalil House, which also contains a large, sunken fireplace and hundreds of small, rectangular windows that filter natural light into the space. The kitchen still contains its original Thermador ovens in addition to a full range of appliances and built-in cabinetry.
A 264-square-foot, unfinished studio also lies on the property behind the main house. Initiated at the same time as the main residence, the studio was designed by Wright's apprentice Morton Delson, who supervised the construction of the Kalil house.
The Kalil family has worked to preserve the residence since its completion, updating to the roof, copper edge flashing, and the patio.
The Toufic H. Kalil Usonian Automatic House, located at 117 Heather St., is listed by Paula Martin at the Paula Martin Group.
