Avant-Garde Bauhaus Ranch in Illinois Hits the Market for $750K

On a tree-lined street in Evanston, IL, sits a midcentury modern home known as Bauhaus Ranch. Designed by J. Marion Gutnayer, the two-bedroom, 1.5-bath residence is listed for $750,000.

The “meticulously maintained” and updated property is close to Lake Michigan and a short commute to downtown Chicago. And it’s within walking distance to shopping, dining, and notable outdoor locales such as James Park.

But what really makes this unusual abode stand out is its eye-catching design and unique history: The 1,800-square-foot, ranch-style home was built in 1952 by Gutnayer, a Holocaust survivor and renowned architect.

Avant-garde architect

Born in Poland, Gutnayer and his brother Henry would go on to study at the esteemed Ecole des Beaux Arts in France after the war. While in France, the brothers worked on homes for major art-scene clientele, including cubist sculptor Jacques Lipchitz and post-war Parisian painter Robert Helman.

After a brief stint in New York, Gutnayer arrived in Chicago, where he became the first faculty member in University of Illinois Chicago’s architecture department.

His design evolved from avant-garde to a “builder’s vernacular.” He practiced into the 1990s, designing single-family homes, motels, and even commercial buildings and high rises in the city and surrounding areas. Gutnayer died in 2004.

Much of Gutnayer’s avant-garde style remains on display in the home on 1617 Brummel Street, which sits on a 4,960-square-foot lot. The place is being offered along with an adjacent, same-sized lot.

This midcentury modern ranch is replete with enthralling details—custom, tuck-pointed exterior brick; night-lit, glass-block columns; bamboo floors; and a spacious, sunken living room with a 10-foot tall ceiling.

Along with many of the home’s original features, buyers will find several notable upgrades, including new kitchen appliances; energy-saving, recessed lighting; and a recently landscaped outdoor space.

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