Iconic midcentury modern home owned by renowned architect Frank Weise for sale for $3.5 million
Two spiral staircases, abundant windows, and curved walls highlight the signature elements of Weise's style.
Anyone who has ever moved into a Philly rowhouse knows that maneuvering heavy furniture into tight spaces can be a challenge.
Acclaimed architect Frank Weise solved that problem by adding a furniture-hoisting boon to the front of his home at 307 S. Chadwick St. Now, you can buy the house, which is on the market for $3.5 million.
Weise, who lived and worked in the Center City property from 1954 until his death in 2003 — first as a tenant and later as the owner, spent decades reimagining the 2,698-square-foot property. The structure was built in 1865 and is known for exemplifying elements of midcentury modern and postmodern design.
The exterior of Weise’s former home and studio has three distinct sections, known as a tripartite facade.
The first story is recessed below the second, with two entrance doors, two large columns, and a picture window. The second story features four rows of recessed, arched windows supported by solid red bricks. A metal cornice adds visual detail and transitions to the third story, a terne metal mansard with vertical seams and six windows, a mix of rounded and pentagonal shapes.
Weise, who played a key role in redesigning Head House Square in the 1970s, was known for designs that incorporated curved surfaces. Inside, the property continues to capture that style.
It has three bedrooms, 1½ bathrooms and ample office space, as well as two spiral staircases. Weise used the lower levels for studio and office space, and the third floor, accessible by a private entrance, was his living area.
The first floor has a wide open concept, and there are kitchens on both the second and third floors.
The home also has a carport and a roof terrace, which boasts views of the city skyline.
Weise, who was born in Brooklyn but moved to Philadelphia in his youth, attended Simon Gratz High School and earned his architecture degree from University of Pennsylvania. He was student of famed architects Louis I. Kahn and Walter Gropius.
Weise designed dozens of homes in Washington Square West, Rittenhouse Square, Fairmount, and Roxborough, but he may be most remembered for his work as an activist. In the 1960s, he led a group of architects to redesign part of I-95 to run below street level to preserve access between the city and the Delaware River waterfront.
When Weise died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 2003, it was reported that the interior of his home and studio on Chadwick Street were unfinished because he continued to redesign the space. Following his death, the property was restored and updated by his heirs.
In 2023, the home, a former stable, was added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. “307 S. Chadwick St. represents [Weise’s] most significant work and one that allowed him to evolve as a designer,” the nomination read.