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Volcano House, California

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Volcano House, also known as the Cinder Cone House,[1] near Newberry Springs in San Bernardino County, Southern California, United States, is a mid-century modern house designed by architect Harold James Bissner Jr. and built in 1968–1969 on top of a 150 ft (46 m)-high extinct volcanic cinder cone. The house has far-reaching views over the western Mojave Desert and the Newberry Mountains and Rodman Mountains. A private house not open to the public, it has nevertheless attracted attention due to its prominent location and striking design. It has been described as 'a desert masterpiece',[2] 'remarkable',[3] and 'iconic',[4] has featured in several architectural digests, and has been used as a film location.

The house is located next to the lakebed of Troy Lake, a dry lake of the Mojave.[3]

Commission, design and construction

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View of Volcano House, Newberry Springs, Southern California, USA. 1968–1969, architect Harold James Bissner Jr.

The house was commissioned by engineer, inventor and draftsman Vard Beecher Wallace (1901–1988),[5] who had made his fortune drafting airplane parts and machines during and after World War II, through his company Vard, Inc.

Wallace was inspired by the dome-shaped buildings at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, California, which was being constructed in 1967–1968.[2] His twin passions were fishing and astronomy, and so he asked architect Harold James Bissner Jr (1925–2020) to reflect these when designing the house.[1][2] Bissner recollected that the original design, including an observation deck for Wallace’s telescope and a sizable lake, was completed in one afternoon.[2]

A spiral track was bulldozed up the side of the cinder cone, and the logistics of building at such an isolated, desert site, with limited access and room, proved considerable.[2] The circular house, in total 2,206 square feet (205 square metres), was built around a central chimney, and is largely open-plan but with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The observation platform allows 360 degree views over the desert.[6] A 5-foot (1.5 m)-wide dry moat encircles the house beneath the awning: this was originally meant to be filled with water.[2] Next to the house is a carport, the roof of which served as a deck. At the base of the cinder cone a two-story building was built. Wallace’s machine shop was housed on the ground floor while the caretaker's residence was above on the first floor.[2] A four-acre lake with an island was also constructed to the north of the cinder cone. The house was completed in the autumn of 1969.

Wallace sold the house in 2000, after some of his machinery was stolen from the machine shop.[2] The house was purchased by British developer Richard Bailey.[2][7] In 2003 Bailey put the house on the market, with an asking price of $795,000.[7] It was bought by television presenter Huell Howser that same year.[2]

Huell Howser ownership 2003–2012

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Aerial view of the Newberry Springs area, looking northwest. Volcano House is in the bottom right corner, an isolated white-topped cinder cone, just above the mountain ranges.

Howser filled the house with mid-century modern furniture, and retained many of its period features, including the shag-pile carpets.[2] However, it was never his permanent residence, as he found it too isolated.[2] In 2010 Howser put the house up for sale for $650,000.[8] but later donated it to Chapman University.

Chapman University ownership 2012–2015

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In June 2012, The Panther, a student-run newspaper for Chapman University, announced that Howser had donated the Volcano House to the school.[9] Howser's offer had been made over lunch with Jim Doti, Chapman’s president: 'As they sat on the patio, Doti asked about the house and Howser said something like: “Oh yeah, I bought that 10 years ago. I hardly ever used it, but I fell in love with the place. Why? Do you want it?”'.[5]

The university hoped to use the house as a separate campus, mainly for astronomy, geology and desert studies, but its remote location proved impractical and the plan was never put into operation.[2][5]

The university spent $500,000 restoring the house over a six-month period.[2] In early September 2015 the house and 60-acre estate was put up for sale with an asking price of $650,000.[5][10]

In September 2015, Chapman University sold the Volcano House for $750,000.[11] The house had multiple offers and sold within five days of being on the market, at $100,000 over the asking price.[11]

Private ownership 2015 onward

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The house is not open to the public, but can be viewed at a distance from Silver Valley Road.[12]

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The house exterior features in the first part of the 2003 video for In da Club by 50 Cent.

The house (only exteriors) served as the mysterious headquarters in the 2022 American psychological thriller film Don't Worry Darling, starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles.[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ a b "HAROLD BISSNER Obituary". Legacy.com. Pasadena Star-News. 29 March 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Kristin Scharkey (28 September 2016). "Step inside the Volcano House, a desert masterpiece". Desert Sun. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Troy Lake". The Center for Land Use Interpretation. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  4. ^ Denise Goolsby. "Huell Howser's Volcano Home on market for $650K". Desert Sun. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d Marilyn Kalfus (9 September 2015). "'Volcano House' that TV's Huell Howser gifted to Chapman University is for sale at $650,000". The Orange County Register. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  6. ^ Sarah Press (26 August 2016). "A Dome Shaped House In The Middle Of The Desert". Ignant. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  7. ^ a b Kauhik Patowary (12 June 2015). "The Volcano House of Newberry Springs". Amusing Planet. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  8. ^ "The Volcano House – 50451 Silver Valley Rd., Newberry Springs, CA 92365 – Listing # 09-401249". 2010-04-01. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
  9. ^ Oliver, Elizabeth (May 7, 2012). "The Panther – Huell Howser donates volcano house to Chapman". ThePantherOnline.com. The Panther. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  10. ^ Kudler, Adrian Glick (September 3, 2015). "Huell Howser's Volcano-Top Saucer House in the Mojave Desert is For Sale and It's Mindblowingly Amazing". Curbed.
  11. ^ a b Jose Quintero (3 October 2015). "Huell Howser's Volcano House sold for $750K". Victorville Daily Press. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  12. ^ a b Olivia Emily (7 September 2023). "Where Was Don't Worry Darling Filmed & Can You Visit?". Country & Town House. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  13. ^ Natalia Senanayake (22 September 2022). "All About the Real Homes in 'Don't Worry Darling' — From Midcentury Icons to Desert Oddities". People. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
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