Edina's Oscam House Earns National Historic Register Designation
A 1963 modernist home in Edina's Indian Hills neighborhood designed by pioneering female architect Elizabeth Close has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, marking the first of Close's designs to receive the federal honor.
The Mari and Hendrick Oscam House received approval for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in January 2024, a designation celebrated during the Edina Planning Commission's May 14 meeting. The recognition comes during Historic Preservation Month and follows the city's own heritage landmark designation of the property in 2015.
The home stands as one of the Twin Cities' finest examples of international modernist architecture. Elizabeth Close, one of Minnesota's first female architects, designed the residence using a distinctive approach that prioritized client needs through detailed questionnaires while incorporating European modernist principles. The design features practical materials, easy maintenance, and non-traditional floor plans.
Homeowner Mari Oscam noted the European influences that shaped the home's character. "We were familiar with it in the Netherlands because you had the stale movement," Oscam said, referencing the Dutch design tradition that informed the house's aesthetic. The Oscams, who emigrated from the Netherlands, worked with Close to incorporate elements reflecting their heritage.
The Heritage Preservation Commission emphasized the broader significance of protecting mid-century modernist homes, which officials described as endangered. "Our role is to just make sure that these community assets are not only preserved but also celebrated and that people are aware of them and how they've contributed to the history of the community," a commission representative said.
Commission members expressed hope that the Oscam House designation would inspire other owners of architecturally significant homes to pursue similar protections. The listing recognizes both the home's architectural merit and Close's pioneering role in Minnesota's design history.
This story was created by artificial intelligence (a large language model) based on the proceedings captured in the video below.
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Other Topics from This Document
Historic Preservation and Community Asset Protection
Architect Elizabeth Close - Pioneer Female Designer and Design Methodology
Also from this meeting
▸Meeting Analysis
“We love the location of course Indian Hills very attractive area and also the fact that we close to the lake.”
“Well, the mid-century and we were familiar with it in the Netherlands because you had the stale movement.”
“Our role is to just make sure that these um community assets are um not only preserved but also celebrated and that people are aware of them and how they've contributed to the history of the community.”
“Such unique examples of architecture in Edina are important to protect.”
▸Source Document
[Music] An Edina house built in 1963 was recently added to the National Registry of Historic Places. The Oscam House was designed by architect Elizabeth Close, one of the first female architects in Minnesota. It is considered one of the best examples of the international style in the Twin Cities. Edina TV shows us why the home earned this special designation. Nestled in the Indian Hills neighborhood in Edina is a modestl looking house along the lake shore. Contrary to some of the larger houses nearby, this quiet and simple residence is small but elegant. We love the location of course Indian Hills very attractive area and also the fact that we close to the lake. Mari Ocam and her husband Hrik immigrated here from the Netherlands. When looking to build a new home, they wanted to incorporate familiar European features. Well, the midentury and we were familiar with it in the Netherlands because there you had the stale movement. The Mari and Hendrickk Occom house has become part of an endangered species. The Oscam house is the first house designed by Elizabeth Close that has been elevated to the National Register. Architect Elizabeth Close, known as Leisel, had a particular approach to designing a house. Before the design work, she would ask her clients to complete a detailed questionnaire to make sure they were getting the house they wanted. Here, she included materials that connected to Oscam's roots. In the Netherlands, brick is a very prevalent building material and so she incorporated the brick floors and also repeated that in the fireplace. Function over style. This was an aspect of European modernism in architecture and Close enjoyed a design challenge. She used practical materials on the exterior, another hallmark of her work, easy maintenance for the owner. The interior is equally innovative with this non-traditional floor plan. In 2015, Mari was able to get the house a heritage landmark designation. Then in January of this year, the Mari and Hendrickk OCAM house was approved to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. We would hope that Mari's interest in listing her home on the National Register could possibly inspire other homeowners in that same direction because these homes are clearly threatened. Such unique examples of architecture in Adina are important to protect. This is part of the mission for the Heritage Preservation Commission. Our role is to just make sure that these um community assets are um not only preserved but also celebrated and that people are aware of them and how they've contributed to the history of the community. For Edina TV, I'm Kenneth Gaml. May is historic preservation month. To learn more about heritage landmarks, visit the city of Edina's website where you can find a map that shows the locations of historic sites throughout the
This story was created by artificial intelligence (a large language model) based on the proceedings captured in the video below.
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