Garden Windows

Casa Feliz, or Happy House in Spanish, is the signature residential work of noted architect James Gamble Rogers II. Initially known as the Barbour... more

by Rich Franco

Title

Garden Windows

Artist

Rich Franco

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photography

Description

Casa Feliz, or "Happy House" in Spanish, is the signature residential work of noted architect James Gamble Rogers II. Initially known as the Barbour Estate, this Andalusian-style masonry farmhouse has significantly influenced the architectural and cultural aspects of this community. In 1932, when Massachusetts industrialist Robert Bruce Barbour commissioned Rogers to design a home on the shore of Lake Osceola, the young architect described it as a "dream come true." Barbour offered Rogers unheard-of freedom for an architect; "Design it any way you like. If I don't like it, I'll sell it." Thus, perhaps more than any of Rogers' buildings, Casa Feliz bears his imprimatur. Built during the Great Depression for a cost of $28,000, the house was Rogers' only project at the time. He set up his drawing board on site, rolling up his shirt sleeves to help with the carpentry and masonry.

Uploaded

December 12th, 2012