HOLLYHOCK HOUSE

In Barnsdall Park, at the top of a Mediterranean-style hill from which the view of Griffith Park and the Observatory is particularly striking, stands the singular home of billionaire Alice Barnsdall. Named after her favorite flower, the hollyhock, it is sculpted in several places on the façade and painted in the villa's interior decoration. The Hollyhock House is a major landmark in Los Angeles architectural history, being the first creation of the great modernist architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the city. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 7, 2019.

Built between 1919 and 1921 for the heiress of millionaire oil magnate Theodore Barnsdall, the splendid residence perfectly reflects the Arts and Crafts spirit in vogue at the time: use of natural light, respect for the dwelling's natural environment, relatively modest proportions and artisanal care given to furnishings and decoration. However, its owner took an immediate dislike to it and lived in it for only a few months. The original project included two residences, a theater, an artists' studio, a store, an actors' dormitory and a cinema. This veritable artistic colony never saw the light of day due to dissensions between the architect and the wealthy heiress, and only the main residence and a smaller house for guests - which cannot be visited - were built.