Lake Forest’s heavily modified ‘House of Tomorrow’ returns asking $4.85M

The sprawling mansion ditched its original 1930s modernist design during a big makeover in the 1990s

By Jay Koziarz Aug 7, 2017, 2:07pm CDT

Situated atop a wooded hill on Green Bay Road, this enormous “modernist gem” hit the market in suburban Lake Forest over the weekend. Featuring seven bedrooms plus nine full and three half baths, the steel-frame home was designed by notable local architect George F. Keck in 1936 as a follow-up to his visionary “House of Tomorrow” created for Chicago’s 1933 Century of Progress Exposition.

While Keck-designed homes typically have a more mid-century modern look to them, this particular example is far more post-modern/contemporary with its heavy use of marble and cream-colored decor. In fact, little of Keck’s original vision for the home remains intact. According to the listing notes, the structure heavily was renovated and saw the addition of a second level and six-car garage in 1996.

The result—despite its architectural pedigree—is a huge, 15,400-square-foot mansion that very much seems stuck in the 1990s with its indoor waterfall, white carpets, and room after room of entertaining space. The five-acre North Shore property last listed back in 2014 for $5.5 million but can be had today for $4.85 million.