The Sersen House
Route 2, Stop 1
Description by Conor Libit
Name: The Donald J. Sersen house
Address: 825 Lill Street, Barrington
4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Bathrooms
Architect: Edward Dart
Built: 1958
One hallmark of mid century house’s is the flat roof, many of Ed Dart’s designs do feature flat roofs. This house bucks that trend. Instead this house’s gable roof overhangs the two sided porch whose top railing perfectly aligns with the brick half wall on the southern side of the house. The house was designed and built as a present for a young couple starting their married lives and is therefore somewhat unique on our tour. Many of the other house’s on this tour are situated on large lots with mature trees and sweeping views, this house was designed to fit inside an existing neighborhood and on a more limited budget. It is in cases like this you will often find the most detail oriented work from the most skilled architects. You will notice that the window mullions align with the outside porch railing making them almost vanish from view. Something incredibly special about this house is that as the sun rises in the east the large front windows funnel that sunlight down the hallway that leads to the bedrooms bathing the entire house in the mornings natural light. The interior also features classic symbols of Dart’s work, a large focal point fireplace in the main floor family room and exposed ceiling beams.
Can't Miss:
Exterior railings at the same height as the window mullions.
Faithful restoration of interior finishes including countertops refinished in the original boomerang pattern.
Ed Dart Bio
by Barbara L. Benson
Since the early twentieth century, noted architects have designed residences, churches and the occasional public building in our area.
This tour focuses on that time when a number of these architects both lived and practiced in Barrington.
EDWARD D. DART was born in 1922 in New Orleans, Louisiana to parents of French descent. After school in New Orleans and at the Woodbury Forest School in Virginia, he entered the University of Virginia. Leaving after two years he enlisted in the Marines, and flew bombers in the Pacific in World War 11.
On January 19, 1946 he married Wilhelmina Plansoen, a Duke University Alumna.
After military service he enrolled in the Yale School of Architecture studying under Richard M Bennett. Graduating in 1949,he had also studied under Pietro Belluschi, Marcel Breuer, Richard Neutra, Louis Kahn, Eero Saarinen, Harold Spitznagel, and Paul Shweiker for whom he later worked in Roselle, Illinois, thus bringing him to this area.
In a prolific and distinguished career Dart became a Fellow of the AIA at 44, and garnered 18 AIA Awards. At Yale developed his personal design style of using natural materials, incorporating a building into its site with free flowing spaces.
Throughout his career, between 1949 and 1968, he designed 52 custom homes, 26 custom churches, and many commercial structures. His last and most challenging assignment was the design of Water Tower Place in Chicago. He died in July 1975 in his home in Barrington Hills. He, and later his wife Wilma are interred in St. Michael’s Church Columbarium, a church he designed and they attended.