Hollyhock House

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Hollyhock House was the home of Aline Barnsdall. Aline was born in Bradford, Pennsylvania and was the daughter of William Barnsdall, an oil man who left his fortune to Aline. Aline loved the arts and moved to Chicago shortly after the turn of the 21st century where she worked as the co-director of a theater company. After a visit to Los Angeles in 1915, she headed west to explore her love of the arts on the west coast. Hollyhock was the first project Wright worked on in Los Angeles. He designed and built it between 1919 and 1921. The home features a central garden court and offers a perfect balance of interior and exterior space. Each of these spaces is joined by a colonnade, glass doors, a porch, or a pergola. There are also rooftop terraces that offer views of the Hollywood Hills and downtown Los Angeles. The home is set on 36-acres of land called Olive Hill and the plans included buildings for secondary residences, a dormitory for actors, a theater, a director's house, a studio, shops, and a theater. Only a portion of the buildings from the original plans were ever constructed including the secondary structures and Hollyhock. The house was named for Aline Barnsdall's favorite flower. Public tours of the Hollyhock House are available throughout the week and on weekends. Group tours are available with reservations.