Butterfly House (Carmel-by-the-Sea, California)

Last updated
Butterfly House
Butterfly House and rocks.jpg
Butterfly House in Carmel Point
Butterfly House (Carmel-by-the-Sea, California)
General information
Architectural style Mid-century modern
Address26320 Scenic Road
Town or city Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Coordinates 36°32′28″N121°55′58″W / 36.54111°N 121.93278°W / 36.54111; -121.93278
Construction started1950;74 years ago (1950)
Completed1952;72 years ago (1952)
Height
Roofwing-shaped roof
Technical details
Size3,700 square feet (340 m2)
Floor count1
Design and construction
Architect(s) Francis W. Wynkoop (1902-1978)
Architecture firmFrancis W. Wynkoop Inc.
Other designersJamie Bush & Co.

Butterfly House, is a Mid-century modern style house built in 1951 located on Carmel Point in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Due to its unique wing-shaped roof, this building is commonly referred to as the Butterfly House. The house was designed and built by architect Francis W. Wynkoop. It is one of the few houses that is on the rocky Carmel shoreline.

Contents

History

The Butterfly House was designed and built by architect Francis W. Wynkoop (1902-1978). The site borders two lots at 26320 Scenic Road. Construction began in 1951 [1] and was completed in 1952. [2] The home has been featured numerous newspapers and magazines through the decades, such as The Californian on June 28, 1952, [3] the National Geographic in 1954 [4] and Trendsideas on November 7, 2011. [5]

The Butterfly House was built for $135,000 (equivalent to $1,642,033in 2022). Wynkoop lived in the house with his wife and children until the death of his wife in 1953 and his father in 1954 caused him to sell the house in 1955. [6] Wynkoop sold it to lawyer and Acting Chief of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Steve B. Kahn, his wife Ruth and three children, who lived in the home for fifty years. [7] It is one of five houses on the ocean front at Carmel Point. [8] Among them is the Mrs. Clinton Walker House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1948 and completed in 1951 for Mrs. Clinton Della Walker of Pebble Beach. [9]

Architectural style

The Butterfly House is a 1+1⁄2-story, Mid-century modern-style building. It has a wing-shaped hipped roof, lifted to take advantage of the view. The house was built with a deck cantilevered out over solid granite rocks, at the edge of the breakers, with views of Point Lobos and Carmel Bay. Inside the 3,700 square feet (340 m2) house are three bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths, an office, media room, and a circular fireplace in the center of a 48 ft (15 m) by 27 ft (8.2 m) sunken five-sided, glass-walled living room. The house had an U-shaped interior open courtyard and a kidney-shaped pool and hot tub. [6] [2]

Wynkoop had to drill into the granite rock to sink caissons 5 ft (1.5 m) below the ground-level and covered them with reinforced concrete. He used steel beams to support the roof that was lifted outward to give a sweeping view of the ocean. 18,000 pounds of steel are inside the home. The house is built of pumice block to blend into its surroundings. [2]

Recent history

Recently the Butterfly House has been featured in several issues of the Architectural Digest magazines. The third owner, Joe Walter, purchased the property in 2008 and Wynkoop's sons, Thor and Jay Wynkoop, did the restoration of the home in 2010. They restored the home to many of its original features. [10] [11]

The current owners purchased the Butterfly House in 2014 and renovated it. [6]

In 2023, the Butterfly House sold for $29 Million. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mrs. Clinton Walker House</span> Historic house in Carmel Point

Mrs. Clinton Walker House, also known as Cabin on the Rocks, is located on Carmel Point, near Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It has the appearance of a ship with a bow cutting through the waves. The house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1948 and completed in 1952 for Mrs. Clinton "Della" Walker of Pebble Beach. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 17, 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reardon Building</span> Historic building

The Reardon Building also known as the Carmel Dairy Building is a Spanish Eclectic style two-story commercial building in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was designed by Guy O. Koepp and constructed by A. Caryle Stoney in 1932 for the Carmel Dairy, which sold milk products. It had a milk bottle-shaped tower. Artist Jo Mora did the interior artwork and logo on milk bottles and lunch menu. The building frames the entrance to downtown Carmel. It has been a retail shop since 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Ribera Hotel</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The La Ribera Hotel, also known as the Cypress Inn, is a historic Spanish Eclectic hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was designed by architects Blaine & Olsen of Oakland, California and built in 1929, by Meese & Briggs. The building was designated as a significant commercial building in the city's Downtown Historic District Property Survey, and was recorded with the Department of Parks and Recreation on February 13, 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seven Arts Building</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The Seven Arts Building, is a one-and-one-half-story, Tudor Revival-style commercial building in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was designed by Albert B. Coats and built by Percy Parkes for poet mayor Herbert Heron in 1925, as a bookshop and printing press. It was built with Thermotite fireproof concrete blocks. It was home to the Carmelite newspaper, the Carmel Art Association's first gallery, and the Carmel Art Institute. Since 1972, it has been a retail store.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sade's</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

Sade's is a one-and-one-half-story, commercial building in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was built in 1925, for novelist and dramatist Harry Leon Wilson and his wife Helen MacGowan Cooke as a flower shop and dress shop. In the 1930s, Sade was a former Ziegfeld Follies dancer, made the lower level into a restaurant and bar. The City of Carmel has recognized the building as a historical resource in the area of architecture, as an important contributor to the design of the Court of the Golden Bough, and as a significant example of commercial Tudor Revival design by Lee Gottfried.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Playa Hotel</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The La Playa Hotel, also known as the "Grande Dame of Carmel," is a historic two-story hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, once owned by artist Chris Jorgensen. The building is an example of Mediterranean Revival architecture. The building qualified as an important commercial building and was registered with the California Register of Historical Resources on September 21, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Wilson Building</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The Wilson Building, also known as the Philip Wilson Building is a historic commercial building in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It is an example of American Craftsman architectural style that was built in 1905 on the corner of Ocean Avenue and Dolores Street as a real estate office. In 1916 it became Carmel’s first official City Hall. The building qualified as an important building in the city's downtown historic district property survey and was recorded with the California Register of Historical Resources on November 30, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spinning Wheel Restaurant</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The Spinning Wheel Restaurant, is a historic commercial building in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was built in 1952, by Monterey Peninsula Builders and designed by architect Edwin Lewis Snyder as a restaurant. It is an example of a Monterey Colonial architecture style building. The structure qualifies as an important building in the city's downtown historic district property survey and was recorded with the California Register of Historical Resources on June 5, 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">W. C. Farley Building</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The W. C. Farley Building, is a historic commercial building in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was built and designed in 1927, by master builder Michael J. Murphy as a retail shop. It is an example of a Mediterranean Revival architecture style building. The structure is recognized as an important commercial building in the city's Downtown Conservation District Historic Property Survey, and was nominated and submitted to the California Register of Historical Resources on June 19, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Draper Leidig Building</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The Draper Leidig Building, also known as the Leidig Building, is a historic mixed-use commercial building in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It was designed by Blaine & Olsen and built in 1929, by C. H. Lawrence. It is an example of Spanish Revival style. The structure is recognized as an important commercial building in the city's Downtown Conservation District Historic Property Survey, and was nominated and submitted to the California Register of Historical Resources on May 22, 2002. The building is occupied by four shops, Photography West Gallery, La Renaissance Jewelry, Caraccioli Cellars, and Girl Lee Boutique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Rambla Building</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

The La Rambla Building is a historic commercial building, built in 1929, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The structure is recognized as an important Spanish Eclectic-style building in the city's Downtown Conservation District Historic Property Survey, and was nominated and submitted to the California Register of Historical Resources on January 30, 2003.

The following is a timeline of the history of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmel Point</span> Unincorporated area south of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Carmel Point also known as the Point and formerly called Point Loeb and Reamer's Point, is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California, United States. It is a cape located at the southern city limits of Carmel-by-the-Sea and offers views of Carmel Bay, the mouth of Carmel River, and Point Lobos. Carmel Point was one of three major land developments adjacent to the Carmel city limits between 1922 and 1925. The other two were Hatton Fields, 233 acres (94 ha) between the eastern town limit and Highway 1, and Carmel Woods, 125 acres (51 ha) tract on the north side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richardson Log Cabin</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

Richardson Log Cabin is a historic building that was built in 1902, by George H. Richardson, an Alameda attorney. The structure is recognized as significant as one of the oldest residential buildings in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California and the earliest known residence of American poet Robinson Jeffers and his wife Una. It was nominated by the Carmel City Council and a historical building and an application was submitted to the California Register of Historical Resources on May 20, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salmon Fletcher Dutton</span> American writer, publisher, bookstore owner

Salmon Fletcher Dutton was an American businessman, Lieutenant colonel in World War I. He is known for constructing the Dutton House, one of the earliest residences on Carmel Point, California. During the 1920s, he was a founding member of the Abalone League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis W. Wynkoop</span> American architect

Francis W. Wynkoop, was an American architect, known for building educational school buildings in Pacific Grove and San Carlos, and oceanfront homes in Carmel Point at the southern city limits of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. One of them is the noted Butterfly House on Scenic Drive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driftwood Cottage</span> Historic building in California, U.S.

Driftwood Cottage, often simply called Driftwood, is a historic home located on Carmel Point at the southern city limits of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It has views of Carmel Bay, Carmel River, and Point Lobos. It was the first house built on Carmel Point and became the home of actress Jean Arthur. Architect George W. Reamer built the house in 1908 for Florence E. Wells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaburst House</span> Historic house in Carmel-by-the-Sea

The Seaburst House, is a mid-century modern-style private residence located on Carmel Point in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. This is the second home on Carmel Point designed and built by architect Francis W. Wynkoop in 1953. The house's modernist-style, integration with the landscape, attention to detail, and use of natural materials combine to create an example of mid-century architecture that remains relevant today. The house, perched on a rocky outcropping, is a piece of architecture that still stands today as a testament to Wynkoop's skill and innovative approach to design. It is one of the only five houses built directly on the rocky Carmel shoreline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guy O. Koepp</span> American California architect

Guy Oran Koepp was an American architect known for his distinctive designs in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. He played a significant role in shaping the city's character and architecture. Some of his notable works in downtown Carmel include the Coach Building, La Rambla Building, and the old Carmel Dairy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert R. Jones</span> American architect

Robert R. Jones was an American architect in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California best known for his Modern architecture. Jones designed numerous residences and commercial buildings in the Monterey Peninsula. In the post-war period, he emerged as a prominent figure among architects and designers who played a pivotal role in shaping Carmel's modernist landscape from the middle 20th century onward. His was known for his design aesthetic that was a Modern architecture-style, combined with elements from the Second Bay Tradition. His creation, the Monterey Airport Administration building, was honored with a design award by the Smithsonian Institution.

References

  1. ↑ Morgan, Mallery Roberts (May 25, 2018). AD Goes Inside Carmel's Iconic Butterfly House. Architectural Digest.
  2. 1 2 3 Mimi Bell (14 Mar 1952). "Architect Wynkoop Goes Down to the Sea in House". Redwood City Tribune. Redwood City, California. p. 6. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  3. ↑ "Today's Cover Photo". The Californian. Salinas, California. 28 Jun 1952. p. 13. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  4. ↑ "The Needler". Carmel Pine Cone. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. 1955-05-24. p. 14. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  5. ↑ "Turn of the tide - Butterfly House restored by owner and sons of Frank Wynkoop". Trends. Auckland, New Zealand. November 7, 2011. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  6. 1 2 3 Avery, Dan (August 17, 2022). A Valerie Bertinelli Pad Is for Sale, Carmel's Butterfly House Lists for $40 Million. Abrams.
  7. ↑ "Kahns Buy "Butterfly" House". Carmel Pine Cone. Carmel-by-the-Sea. September 22, 1955. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  8. ↑ Astley, Amy (2019). Architectural Digest at 100 A Century of Style. Abrams. p. 36. ISBN   9781683356479.
  9. ↑ "I Name Names". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. 22 Jun 1951. p. 19. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  10. ↑ Elaine Hesser (October 7, 2022). "Butterfly House Soars As Oceanfront Icon" (PDF). Carmel Pine Cone. Carmel-by-the-Sea. p. 7. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  11. ↑ "Turn of the tide". Trends. Sea. 27 (4): 39–40. 2011. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  12. ↑ Katherine McLaughlin (July 18, 2023). "The Iconic Butterfly House in Carmel-by-the-Sea Just Sold for $29 Million". Architectural Digest . Retrieved 2024-02-16.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.