In 1919, Bohemian oil heiress, theater enthusiast and political radical Aline Barnsdall purchased the 36-acre park site now known as Barnsdall Park. She enlisted architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design the premises, his first in Los Angeles, as a sweeping complex for avant-garde theater, featuring an ambitious space for artists to live and work — and a home for the Barnsdall and her daughter. However, Barnsdall fired Wright in 1921 due to, among other things, high costs and artistic differences. The complex remained unfinished, but Wright left behind the completed Barnsdall home, theHollyhock House, a stunning paradigm of California modern design.
Photo by Joshua White
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Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell will attend a ribbon cutting on February 13 at 4 p.m., at which time the legendary space will be open to the public, followed by a 24-hour period where guests can take self-guided tours of the house. Admission is $7 for adults, $3 students, seniors and children under 12. After the opening, the Hollyhock House will be open Thursdays through Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the same prices.
