The Forgotten House (feature story)

Allison Baxter

October 19, 2010

Lab 21

          Imagine growing up in a house made of stone, glass, and ironstone; it's probably not the most conventional lifestyle, but it was a reality for Bob Bavinger, son of Eugene Bavinger.

            One of Norman's most cherished treasures, Bruce Goff designed the Bavinger house in the 1950s. It was built by Eugene Bavinger, and he lived in it with his wife and children for 48 years.

            Goff is renowned for his innovative and organic style, and the Bavinger house more than lives up to that reputation. It has become an architectural icon boasting many awards and continues to fascinate and inspire today's generation of architects.

            Driving up the road leading to the Bavinger House, you're filled with anticipation for what's to come. The Bavinger House was voted one of the top 15 structures in the United States by MSNBC. However, you'll be surprised by the house's general state of disrepair. It certainly doesn't suffer from any lack of love or care, but rather, lack of funding. Bob Bavinger currently manages the house.

            When asked what he thought the Bavinger House meant to Norman community, he replied, "it's been a political nightmare." Finding any sort of sponsoring or funding has been a huge hindrance for the Bavinger family and house.

            The Bavinger family first opened their home to the public approximately two years ago. Prior to their opening, the University of Oklahoma promised them funding for refurbishment and maintenance of the property. They never received the money.

            Bob Bavinger has also approached the National Historic Register, but again was met with false promises. The main reason, Bavinger believes, people are uninterested in funding the Bavinger house is because they believe the renovation to be a million dollar project.

            "It's not a million dollar project, $30,000 at most," Bavinger said, "The main things that need to be addressed are the glass paneling along the outside of the house, making it leak-proof and whatnot. The shingled roof that is currently on the house is too heavy and we'd like to make it a copper roof again like it originally was. Then interiors of course, redoing the carpet mostly."

            The building itself is full of charm, boasting "bowls," literally carpeted circles suspended in midair, instead of bedrooms, secret ladders to the outside patio where Bob Bavinger played pirates, and wooden bridges dangling above a creek into the forest surrounding the property. The house is full of Eugene and Nancy Bavinger's artwork: paintings, ceramics and, of course, the house itself is a work of its own.  The house is literally a tree house from your wildest imagination straight out of the pages of Peter Pan: full of whimsy.

            The Fred Jones Museum of Art is currently hosting an exhibit dedicated the works of Bruce Goff. And a student party was held on Oct 8 to launch the exhibition. More than 800 students attended.
            "[It] was the most we've ever had attend a student opening" art ambassadors' president Jessica Farling said, "we were very pleased with the turnout, and to see many of the students looking at the exhibition and other galleries."

            Of course, the Bavinger house had an important place in this exhibition including pictures of it, renderings by Goff himself, virtual tours on several screens and a small model of it in the center of the room. Clearly, people are interested in and care about the Bavinger house.

            Michael Brendure is the director of communication at the Fred Jones Museum of art and is equally enthusiastic about the student turnout.

            He hopes that the art ambassador program will continue to "encourage student involvement at the museum with direct feedback to museum staff, improved grassroots marketing initiatives and other special opportunities for OU students."

            Hopefully such student involvement will inspire people to take notice of the art that surrounds our Norman community. An entire family lived in and grew up in the Bavinger house. It is now the Bavinger family's dream to share their unique childhood with the world. Bavinger hopes that the community will be able to respond with equal fervor and learn to appreciate such a jewel before it wastes away.