Just after World War II, Philadelphia modernist
architect Oskar Stonorov designed and built two steel houses on his property
in Charlestown Township, Chester County. They were prototypes for what was
intended to be mass-produced, inexpensive housing for a new generation of
post-war families. Although some of Stonorov's manufactured houses were sold,
the business soon folded. (See related Inquirer newspaper article, related "The Phoenix" newspaper article.)
The Stonorov property is now being developed, and the
Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia is carefully dismantling one of
the steel houses (shown) so that it can reconstructed at another
location.
Do you, or someone you know,
want to be the new owner of an authentic steel house designed by one of the
leaders of the modern architectural movement?
If so, you will have to commit to rebuild the house using
the carefully dismantled and labeled steel components of the original (which
are stored in a protected space in Chester County, PA). All other conditions
for taking ownership are open to negotiation with the Preservation Alliance.
cross-section
floor plan
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