Frank Lloyd Wright’s Emil Bach House, a 2,950-square-foot Prairie-style residence in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, is changing hands. Its former owner, Jennifer Pritzker, through her company, TAWANI Enterprises, just donated the historic property to Loyola University.
“This donation is intended to further Loyola University’s mission, enhance its campus infrastructure, and underscore TAWANI’s enduring commitment to supporting the community and fostering educational growth,” Pritzker said in a statement. In addition to the Wright home, TAWANI also donated a neighboring historic residence known as the Lang House to the university. The school also received $1 million to support both properties’ upkeep and operations.
The Bach House was completed in 1915 and is named after its first owner and patron, Emil Bach, who co-owned the Bach Brick Company. The residence is an example of Wright’s late Prairie style, designed after he returned from Europe following a personal scandal and shortly before he moved on to Usonian homes. According to the Chicago Architecture Center, Bach admired Wright’s work after his brother, Otto, purchased the architect’s Oscar Steffens House in 1912.
Though Wright is known for his low-slung, horizontal residences, the Bach House is two stories, showcasing his innovation when designing for a small city lot. Despite its vertical presence, it retains notable Prairie-style elements, such as a cross-axial plan, overhanding eaves, and geometric wood trim. It’s a variation of the architect’s “Fireproof House for $5000,” which was a house plan and article published by Wright in Ladies Home Journal in 1907.
Prtizker, a Loyola alumn, investor, philanthropist, and member of the storied family for which the Pritzker Prize is named, purchased the home for $1.7 million in 2010, according to the Real Deal. TAWANI operated both the Bach House and the Lang House and rented them out to guests for events.
