Abrahms House

Goldberg’s design for the Abrahms House created a distinctly modern look by balancing the use of traditionally “cold” materials—glass and steel—with traditionally “warm” materials—wood and brick. The combination created a richly textured exterior, accentuated by the complex massing of the building. The two-story home featured a living room, study, dining area, kitchen, and garage on the main floor, with four bedrooms and an outdoor terrace on the second. A unique feature of the house was the first-floor flower conservatory, designed to accommodate the client’s large orchid collection. The walls and roof of the conservatory—supported by thin cables suspended from exposed floor joists on the second story—hint at his later work, such as the Clark-Maple Gas Station, North Pole Ice Cream store and the Mobile Penicillin Unit, which also featured suspended roof structures.