The Rauh House, built in 1938 by prominent Cincinnati insurance agent Frederick Rauh, is one of the first International Style modernist homes in the Cincinnati area. It is the crowning residential achievement of Cincinnati architect John Becker, a local pioneer in modern architecture. The house, which features a long balcony and shaded terrace, tubular steel railings, large windows with minimized corners, and whitewashed cinder block walls, sits on nearly nine acres of gently rolling, wooded land at the western edge of the Village of Woodlawn.
In 2005, the house was sold to a developer who planned to demolish it and subdivide the property. A new cul-de-sac and retention ponds were built, destroying much of the existing landscaping, and the house was stripped and left exposed to the elements. Frederick Rauh’s daughter, who grew up in the house, bought it after the development failed. With the help of ArchitectsPlus and the Cincinnati Preservation Association, the house and grounds have been restored to their original state, but with modern mechanical systems and insulation, and custom steel windows to match the originals. The restored house will be listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is going to be featured in “Preserving Modern Architecture in the Mid-West,” a Spring 2013 conference organized by the Cincinnati Preservation Association.
Project Details
Renovation: Yes
Date Renovated: 12/01/2012
Building Type: Residential
Address: 10068 Leacrest Rd.
City: Woodlawn
State: Ohio
Zip: 45215
Country: USA
Foundation: Poured-in-place concrete
Superstructure / Framing System: Cinder Block & Steel Bar Joists w/ Gypsum Planks
Exterior Enclosure: Cinder Block
Roof Shape: Flat roofs
Roof Material: Membrane
Walls: Wood Studs & 3-Coat Plaster on Metal Lath
Square Footage: 8564
Number of Rooms: 19
Mechanicial: Ground-Source Heat Pump w/ Fan-Coils
Site Area(Acres): 9
NotableFeatures: Stone Grill Porch, Wildflower Walk, A.D. Taylor Landscape.
Green or Sustainable Features:
Ground-source heat pump and spray foam insulation.
Project Team
Architect:
Architects Plus, 10816 Millington Ct. Suite 100, Cincinnati, OH 45242, 513-984-1070,
http://www.architectsplus.com
Andrew Schaub, AIA – President, LEED AP, aschaub@architectsplus.com
Rick Koehler – Chief Strategic Officer, rkoehler@architectsplus.com
Jeffrey Jakucyk – Project Designer, jjakucyk@architectsplus.com
Client:
Cincinnati Preservation Association, 342 W. Fourth St., Cincinnati, OH 45202, 513-721-4506,
http://www.cincinnatipreservation.org
Paul Muller – Director, director@cincinnatipreservation.org
Contractor:
Crapsey & Gilles Contractors, 8887 Glendale-Milford Rd., Loveland, OH 45140, 513-891-6333,
http://www.crapseyangilles.com
Rob Crapsey, rcrapsey@crapseyandgilles.com
Landscape Architect:
Meisner + Associates, Cincinnati, OH, 513-321-2796,
http://www.meisnerandassociates.com
Gary Meisner, FASLA – Partner, meisnerandassociates@fuse.net
Fred Lutt, ASLA/AICP – Landscape Architect, fred.lutt@meisnerandassociates.com