The guest cottage constructed in 1952 was connected to the Clarence Gonstead residence. No distinction was made in quality of construction between the main house and the guest cottage.
The original main house, guest house and subsequent pool house were designed by Herb Fritz Jr. in the prairie style. Three generations of the Fritz family worked for Frank Lloyd Wright. The Taliesin School of Archtecture is located just 30 miles away outside of Spring Green. Hill Top conference center at the entrance to Taliesin was Mr. Fritz’s residence. Touring Architects have deemed it a monument to Mid Century Modern design, without a budget. MCM
The main house was destroyed by fire in 1991 and rebuilt around the remaining masonry walls. The original cypress wood and the natural quarried stone colors were lost in the renovation of the main house, but the guest cottage was unaffected by the fire and retains more of the original character of the house. The exterior masonry bearing walls are 2 foot thick clad with random field dressed lanonstone inside and out. Large sheets of glass fill the space between the masonry walls and run to the low ceilings. Vent units adjacent to the large windows emphasize the reoccurring trapezoid theme resulting from the intersection of the sloping walls with the roof. The ceilings are shellacked cypress and floors are quarry tile, ceramic tile and carpet.
The original grounds were 55 acres, including a paved runway. Mature specimen trees cover the remaining 2 acre site. Stone walkways and stone retaining walls with recessed lighting enhance the outdoor spaces.
The building is heated by an original in-floor copper radiant heating system.