Ferris Bueller's Day Off House Sells for $1.06M

After five years on the real estate market, one of the most famous works of modern architecture has finally sold. The Ferris Bueller’s Day Off House, known locally as the Ben Rose Pavilion House, has sold for $1.06M, a deep discount from its $2.3M asking price back in 2009. Sure, the house of Ferris Bueller’s best friend Cameron may not have been known for its architectural significance as much as its place in pop culture, but it is a prized home in its own right. This glass pavilion house features floor-to-ceiling glass on nearly every wall, with uncompromising views deep into the woods of Highland Park, Illinois.

There were plenty of challenges that prevented the sale of the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off House, an issue that has plagued many glass homes of its era. This house was designed by A. James Speyer in 1953, a design inspired by the Glass Pavilion House by Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe in nearby Plano, Illinois. Van der Rohe’s glass house has been littered with constant upkeep costs that have nearly led to its abandonment, and the Ben Rose Pavilion House here appears to have faced a similar fate. Additionally, cold Illinois winters make the glass walls a challenge to heat, pushing HVAC costs through the (flat) roof.

Hopefully its new buyer will maintain its architectural allure and keep it alive as the icon that it is. It’s remembered fondly by fans of the film, myself included, and will be a popular tourist drive-by for as long as it stands. It’ll always be known as the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off House, and hopefully it’s story won’t always be as slow-going as its recent sale. In the wise words of Ferris Bueller, “life moves pretty fast– if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”.

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