The Architect’s Modern Castle with Heated Pool and Expansive Private Patio

The Architect’s Modern Castle with Heated Pool and Expansive Private Patio

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
Heated 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 newly renovated 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 with 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 heated in-ground pool and large patio area. The pool and patio are set below the ground level, creating a secluded and private retreat. 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 (in addition to the posted VRBO house rules):

Prior to Booking:

- Let us know how many people will be staying overnight and how many will be visiting.
- A limited number of daytime visitors is allowed, but parties are not permitted.
- If there are more overnight guests or visitors than agreed upon, we reserve the right to cancel the booking immediately.

Overnight Guests & Visitors:

- Maximum overnight guests: 8
- Maximum visitors: 4
- Maximum total occupancy (guests + visitors): 12
- More than 12 people is considered an event (see below).
- Visitors are allowed 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Visitor plans must be disclosed and approved prior to booking.
- If no visitors are disclosed at the time of booking, we’ll assume none are expected.
-No overnight guest or visitor substitutions without prior approval. The reservation holder must remain on-site, and rotating or swapping overnight guests or visitors at any time during the stay is not permitted.

Events:

- Events are gatherings of more than 12 people (e.g., showers, graduations, reunions).
- The maximum size of an event is 25 people.
- Events require prior approval and an additional fee, based on event size.
- If you’d like to host an event, please message us with details and expected headcount.

Pool:

- Open May–October, weather permitting.
- Use is limited to registered overnight guests.
- Visitor use must be approved in advance, and may require a maintenance fee, as pools with up to 12 daily users can require daily maintenance, such as shocking and vacuuming, to maintain water quality.
- We’ll coordinate service to minimize disruption.
- Do not change settings on pool equipment (e.g. pump, heater)
- Children must be supervised by an adult at all times.
- Absolutely no glass in or near the pool at any time.

Quiet Hours:

- Enjoy the pool and patio, but please be mindful of noise.
- Outdoor music must remain at conversational level and be turned off by 10:00 p.m.
- Quiet hours: 10:00 p.m. onward
- After this time, no music is allowed and voices should remain low.

Exterior Cameras:

- Two actively recording doorbell cameras:
- Front door
- Back patio

Other:

- Please do not operate the retractable staircase nor the rooftop sail.
- 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