J.A. Sweeton Residence
Encyclopedia
The J.A. Sweeton Residence was built in 1950 in Cherry Hill
, New Jersey
. At 1500 square feet (139.4 m²), it is the smallest of the four Frank Lloyd Wright
houses in New Jersey. This Usonian scheme house was constructed of concrete blocks and redwood plywood.
The Sweeton House is sheltered by a dramatically pitched roof that comes within four feet of the ground. An impressive cantilever
ed carport
extending about 20 feet (6.1 m) from the house provides a dramatic visual element to the entrance. Wright loved the automobile but thought garages were a relic of the "livery
-stable
mind," according to his revised autobiography.
The compact horizontal plan reflects a standard Usonian scheme. Three bedrooms and one bathroom are arranged on a linear axis like cabins of an ocean liner. With its prominent living room defined by six glass doors, mitered
glass corners and cathedral
ceiling, the home seems larger than its 1500 square feet (139.4 m²).
The Sweeton House remains a private residence and is not accessible by the public. The larger original site has been subdivided and is isolated from major roadways.
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. At 1500 square feet (139.4 m²), it is the smallest of the four Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
houses in New Jersey. This Usonian scheme house was constructed of concrete blocks and redwood plywood.
The Sweeton House is sheltered by a dramatically pitched roof that comes within four feet of the ground. An impressive cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
ed carport
Carport
A carport is a covered structure used to offer limited protection to vehicles, primarily cars, from the elements. The structure can either be free standing or attached to a wall. Unlike most structures a carport does not have four walls, and usually has one or two...
extending about 20 feet (6.1 m) from the house provides a dramatic visual element to the entrance. Wright loved the automobile but thought garages were a relic of the "livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
-stable
Stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...
mind," according to his revised autobiography.
The compact horizontal plan reflects a standard Usonian scheme. Three bedrooms and one bathroom are arranged on a linear axis like cabins of an ocean liner. With its prominent living room defined by six glass doors, mitered
Miter joint
A miter joint , sometimes shortened to miter, is a joint made by bevelling each of two parts to be joined, usually at a 45° angle, to form a corner, usually a 90° angle...
glass corners and cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
ceiling, the home seems larger than its 1500 square feet (139.4 m²).
The Sweeton House remains a private residence and is not accessible by the public. The larger original site has been subdivided and is isolated from major roadways.
External links
- Exploring Art - Frank Lloyd Wright - JA Sweeton Residence
- Frank Lloyd Wright Houses - Bernardsville, Cherry Hill, Glen Ridge, Millstone
- PrairieMod: One Couple "Sweeton's" Their Life Style
- J A Sweeton House photos on Flickr
- J A Sweeton House, Cherry Hill NJ 1950 - Frank Lloyd Wright Designed Buildings on Waymarking.com
- Cherry Hill Historical Commission
- "On the Trail of Frank Lloyd Wright," The New York Times, 2001