JAMES ROSE HOUSE JUST LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER!

from New Jersey Historic Preservation Office

Ridgewood NJ, The James Rose residence in Ridgewood, NJ was designed and inhabited by noted landscape architect, James C. Rose. Constructed between 1952 and 1974, it is a mid-century modern compound consisting of several dwelling units connected by a series of garden spaces and a roof garden.

As first built in 1952-1953, the property was composed of a central space for Rose’s mother, a guest space for his sister, and a studio space for himself. Changes were made in the 1960s & 70s by the family.

The three areas are built of concrete block and wood, with large, floor-to-ceiling glass wall panels. They are connected on the outside by a series of garden terraces and by an overhead roof garden.

Much of the furniture in the buildings and gardens was designed and built by James Rose, including benches, chairs, and tables. Rose designed the copper sculptures and fountains in the various pools, as well as the copper lanterns and stone arrangements around the gardens. He also designed the woven wooden fences and gates that mark the perimeter of the property.

The James C. Rose residence is significant under Criterion B as the home and studio of the important Modern landscape architect. It is also significant under Criterion C as the work of a master because it is the singular expression of Rose’s ideas regarding the spatial fusion of architecture and landscape architecture, the importance of site-specific design, and the value of allowing change over time.

Before his death in 1991, Rose established a foundation named Barrier Aung for the purpose of creating a center for landscape studies. He donated both the property in Ridgewood and an additional property in Pennsylvania to the foundation, which he hoped would continue the spirit of his written and built works.

In 1995, The James Rose Center undertook an ambitious rehabilitation project to preserve the dilapidated structure.

Within the context of Rose’s work, this property stands out as the quintessential James Rose design. It represents the evolution of Rose’s design aesthetic over nearly four decades from the beginning of Modern landscape architecture.