The Architect’s Modern Castle

Designed & built by Dan Rockhill, distinguished professor of architecture at KU, the Epard/Porsch house features sculptural stone, steel, & glass elements that bring abundant sunlight into modern living spaces.

Walking distance to Allen Fieldhouse and Memorial Stadium
In-ground pool with expansive private patio
Rooftop terrace
2-story solarium
2 balconies
Loft office
Stocked kitchen
Spacious bedroom suites
Large bathrooms, jetted tub, walk-in Italian shower
Driveway parking for 6 cars

Built in 1997, the Epard/Porsch house is one of Rockhill's most audacious projects. It is bold, imaginative, and unapologetically unique.

The home sits atop Mount Oread, just a few blocks west of campus. It takes around 5 minutes to walk to the Chi Omega fountain, 15 minutes to walk to Allen Fieldhouse, and 18 minutes to walk to the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

The house is composed of two wings connected by a central staircase. The first wing has the main living room, dining room, kitchen, and loft office. A guest bedroom is located below, next to the pool and solarium. The second wing has another living room and bedroom on the second floor, and two bedrooms on the third floor. The two bedrooms on the third floor are connected and share a bathroom. There is a privacy curtain (no door) between the two bedrooms, so they are not fully private. This would be perfect for a family who wishes to sleep on the same level.

The first wing extends along the street and has a gabled slate roof. You enter the front door and are greeted by an exposed steel and glass structure that contains the shared spaces for living, cooking, dining, and entertaining. The living room has a TV w/Amazon Fire. The dining room table has seating for six. There’s also an eat-in kitchen table that seats four people. The kitchen features oversized slate countertops and custom cabinetry. It's fully equipped to cook and share meals together. There are modern appliances, a good tea selection, a Keurig, and a pour over coffee maker. We stock coffee for both, which you're welcome to use.

Above the kitchen is a loft office, which is accessed by the retractable staircase. The loft area features a skylight, glass and steel shelves, and exposed steel rafters. There is a desk and chair for setting up a workstation.

The guest bedroom is located below the kitchen in a finished portion of the basement. To get there, you take the stairs down from the living room, just past the solarium. The guest bedroom looks out onto the pool and surrounding patio. It has its own door to the pool area that opens to a wisteria arbor. It has a large TV w/ Amazon Fire and a bathroom with a large Italian shower and separate vanity.

The other wing of the home sits above the built-in three car garage. To get there, you take the staircase from the living room up to the second floor and enter a secondary living room with a sectional, TV w/Amazon Fire, balcony access overlooking the pool and gardens, and a full bathroom with jetted tub. A hallway connects the second living room to a bedroom. On the way, there is a stackable washer/dryer which you are free to use. This bedroom has a king-sized bed, mirrored closets, and lots of natural light.

The third floor has two bedrooms that are connected and share a bathroom. There is a privacy curtain (no door) between the two bedrooms, so they are not fully private. This would be perfect for a family who wishes to sleep on the same level. You first enter the main bedroom, which has a king-sized bed, a bathroom with a walk-in shower, a separate double vanity, and a fully screened-in balcony with a hammock. The second bedroom is connected to the main bedroom and has two twin beds, a large exercise mat with weights, and mirrored closets.

The final stop is the rooftop terrace! To get there, climb the ship’s ladder from the third floor landing up to the terrace. The rooftop terrace, which can accommodate up to 5 people at a time, offers great views of the surrounding neighborhood and campus. It’s also a great place to watch the sunset and stargaze.


EXTERIOR SPACES:
The backyard has a private, seasonal, in-ground pool and large patio area. Complimentary pool towels, pool toys, and flotation devices may be found on the basement level in the “pool room” (adjacent to the guest bedroom). The patio has outdoor furniture, including a sectional and a dining table, so you can enjoy meals outdoors. Be sure to plug in the string lights around the pool at night to make the space even more magical!

Once you’ve cooled off, step around the pool’s privacy fence to admire the park-like gardens with stone paths and native plants.

You will have access to all spaces except the garage.


HOUSE RULES AND THINGS OF NOTE:
(This is in addition to posted VRBO rules)

Prior to Booking:
Please let us know how many people will be staying overnight and how many people will be visiting. You are welcome to have a limited number of visitors, but parties are not allowed. If there are more people staying overnight or visiting than agreed-upon, we reserve the right to cancel the booking immediately.

Overnight Guests and Visitors:
The maximum capacity for overnight guests is 8 people. The maximum number of visitors is 4 people. The maximum number of people including guests and visitors is 12 people. We consider any more than 12 people to be an event. See the next paragraph for more information on events. Visitors are allowed from 7am to 10pm. The number of visitors you plan to have must be approved prior to booking. If you do not state that there will be any visitors when you make your booking request, we will assume there will be no visitors.

Events:
Events (i.e. shower/graduation/reunion, etc.) are considered to be gatherings of more than 12 people. We require prior approval and an additional fee for events. The fee will depend on the size of the event. If you would like to host an event, please message us to let us know what kind of event you are planning and how many people will be attending.

Pool:
*Please note that the pool is seasonal. It is open from May through October. The pool water may need to be tested during your stay. We will contact you to find a time for that to happen. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The temperature of the pool is dependent on the season.

Quiet Hours:
We want you to enjoy the pool and patio! Please respect our neighbors by keeping voices at a conversational level and avoiding loud music. Outdoor music must be at "conversational level" and be turned off completely at 10:00 p.m. Quiet hours begin at 10pm. If you are going to be outside after that, no music is allowed and voices must be kept at a conversational level.

Exterior Cameras:
There are two actively recording exterior doorbell cameras. One at the front door, and one on the back patio.

Other:
No pets are allowed on the premises.

No commercial filming or photography on the premises.

Absolutely no smoking in the house.

The home is Lawrence city rental code compliant and has passed the city inspection. License # STR-004659-2024