The Ennis House: An Architectural Case Study

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Mayan-inspired Ennis House Sold for $18 Million in 2019—Making It the Most Expensive Property He Ever Designed

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House is a designated city, state, and national landmark and one of the best examples of Mayan Revival architecture in America. This iconic home has made appearances in movies and TV shows, like Blade Runner and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, securing its role as one of the most famous houses in Los Angeles. Recently, the property fetched a record-breaking $18 million sale, making it the most expensive property ever designed by Wright. After a trip to visit the LA home, our architects in Austin, Texas, fell in love with the structure. In our architectural case study of the Ennis House, we will discuss the history of the Mayan-inspired design, its role in Hollywood pop culture, the extensive restoration of the property, the recent sale, and the materials and design elements used in the project.

The History of the Ennis House

Frank Lloyd Wright began designing Ennis House for Charles and Mabel Ennis in 1923, and the project was completed in 1924. The home is located in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, and the property features views overlooking Griffith Park. While Wright is known for his Prairie School designs, he channeled the Mayan Revival style for this project. The Mayan Revival style was a movement within the Art Deco style popular during the 1920s and 30s and drew inspiration from pre-Columbian Mesoamerican design elements.

The design of the Ennis House also features textile block construction, a series of modular interlocking concrete bricks with intricate designs. The Ennis House is one of four textile block homes designed by Wright, who was excited to experiment with concrete during the 1920s. Unfortunately, this new material created construction difficulties from day one, making build supervision difficult for Wright’s son Lloyd who partnered on the project. Structural issues remain a problem today. The home has gone through many owners since the Ennis couple, including media personality John Nesbitt, The Ennis House Foundation, and most recently business executive Ron Burkle who sold the home in 2019.

The Ennis House has been named one of the top 10 houses of all time by the Los Angeles Times, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Wright also happened to consider this home his favorite.

The Ennis House’s Role in Hollywood

Even if you haven’t seen the Ennis House in person, there is a good chance you are familiar with this iconic property. The home has made over 80 on-screen appearances in movies, television shows, and music videos! Many of these appearances took place between 1980 and 2011 when The Ennis House Foundation owned the home. However, the house has been used as a film location as early as 1933 in the movie Female. The Ennis House got its “big break” with an appearance in 1982’s Blade Runner. It can also be seen in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a Ricky Martin music video.

The Ennis House Restoration

Even before completion, the Ennis House faced structural issues. The concrete blocks were prone to cracking, and a large retaining wall began to buckle under tension. In addition, the home sustained severe damage during the 1994 Northridge earthquake and again during the California mudslides of 2005. These events landed it on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s list of Endangered Historic Places. At the time, The Ennis House Foundation estimated that it would cost $5 million to stabilize the building and $15 million for a complete restoration of the property. After securing federal aid and loans, the foundation was able to budget partial restoration, which was completed in 2007 for over $6 million.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House Sold for $18 million in 2019

In 2011, Ron Burkle purchased the home for just $4.5 million during the height of the recession. The business executive reportedly spent over $17 million restoring the historic property before listing it for $23 million in 2018. By 2019, the Ennis House sold for a record-breaking $18 million. This high ticket price tag now makes the Ennis House the most expensive property ever designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. With the sale of the Ennis House comes an easement that allows 12 public viewing days per year, so you still have a chance to tour this stunning property for yourself.

The Ennis House: Materials and Design Elements

The Ennis House employed new materials and bold designs never before applied in Frank Lloyd Wright’s projects. As a result, this 1920s home was way ahead of its time, which has earned it starring roles in sci-fi films decades after completion and allows it to feel contemporary a century later.

Materials Used in the Ennis House

Textile Blocks

The Ennis House was built using over 27,000 interlocking textile blocks. This building method developed by Frank Lloyd Wright features hand-cast concrete blocks with custom detailing stacked to form walls. The 16x16x3.5 inch blocks are reinforced with steel rods. Only four of Wright’s homes use this building method.

Concrete

In the 1920s, concrete was a brand new building material. Wright was fascinated with the potential to use concrete to create more affordable housing and introduce unique custom designs. He used concrete to create his textile block building system. His concrete mixture contained gravel, granite, and sand from the Ennis House building site.

Design Elements Used in the Ennis House

Mayan Revival Architecture

Mayan Revival architecture was a branch of the Art Deco movement popular during the 1920s and 30s. During this time, designers drew inspiration from global and ancient influences. The Mayan Revival style specifically pulled design elements from pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures and temples. However, the Mayan reproductions of the 1920s are ahistorical, following creative inspiration from the past rather than historical accuracy. For the Ennis House, Frank Lloyd Wright reinterpreted Puuc architecture seen in Uxmal.

Horizontal Orientation

At 6,000 square feet, the Ennis House is the largest of Wright’s textile block designs. It features a horizontal orientation that is also seen in his Prairie School-style projects. The site layout features two buildings separated by a paved courtyard and a long horizontal loggia on the northern side, connecting the public and private spaces of the home.

“G” Motif

Wright’s hand-cast concrete blocks allowed for unprecedented customization. For example, the blocks that make up the Ennis House feature the Greek key design resembling a stylized “G.” This touch is thought to be a reference to the Masonic order that Charles Ennis was a member. The “G” motif can be seen repeated through both the exterior and interior textile blocks.