The William H. Kessler House is a one-story residence with fully glazed curtain walls on the front and rear elevations and brick masonry side walls. The house, which is roughly square in plan, has a distinctive three-bay, folded-plate roof and a tall brick garden wall that screens the transparent façade from the street. Constructed in 1959, the Kessler home is a notable example of Modern residential architecture designed by William H. Kessler for himself and his family. The glass window walls are supported by a thin steel frame and the glazing is extended up into the gables producing a dramatic effect and enhancing the modern aesthetic. The folded-plate roof is comprised of 4” thick structural wood decking eliminating the need for an exposed truss system. The buff brick garden wall at the front of the house encloses a linear courtyard along the primary elevation. The northwest and southeast-facing side walls are clad with buff brick capped with a wood fascia set just below the roofline. The house’s main entrance is located in the center of the southeast elevation. A flat roof extends over the entry to a small rectangular storage shed clad with vertical wood boards. To the north of the storage shed is a two-vehicle carport with a flat roof that was designed by Kessler and added in 1964.
The William and Margot (Walbreaker) Kessler House is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria B and C at the state level as a notable example of the Modern Movement and for its association with architect William Kessler. The Kessler House was designed by Harvard-trained architect William H. Kessler for himself and his family in the early stages of his career, a few years after establishing an architectural practice with Philip J. Meathe and Harry Smith in 1955 (Meathe, Kessler & Associates). Built in 1959, the Kessler House possesses significance in the category of Architecture as an innovative residential design exhibiting the fundamental characteristics of the Modern Movement including its simple geometric form, use of large expanses of glass to bring nature and sunlight into the interior, and its open and free-flowing floor plan. The house is also distinctive for its folded-plate roof supported on a thin steel frame and the incorporation of a brick screen wall on the primary street-facing façade. Despite Kessler’s intention to live and work in Michigan for only a few years, he remained in the state for his entire career developing a successful private practice and contributing significantly to Michigan’s architectural legacy during the Modern and Post-Modern eras. Kessler was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1968 for his outstanding contributions to the profession and has been referred to as one of Detroit’s greatest modernists. During the second half of the twentieth century, Kessler designed many of Detroit’s most recognizable buildings and his work has received numerous awards and citations.
The Kessler House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on September 30, 2013.
