Photograph by Anthony Masterson
As one of Atlanta’s preeminent classical architects, Yong Pak of Pak Heydt Associates knows timeless style when he sees it. But this unusual circa-1921 house on Oakdale Road in Druid Hills defies categorization, and its architect is unknown. “I love it because it’s an architectural mystery,” says Pak, who drives by the house on his daily commute. “It doesn’t adhere to any one style, and I never get tired of it.” The Flemish-bond brick pattern, which alternates stretchers (the long side of the brick) with headers (the short side), is often seen in Georgian Revival–style houses, as are the 12-over-12-pane windows and slate roof. Elements of English Regency–garden style show up on the semi-octagonal porch with finials. The lace fretwork gable adds Victorian flair. “What’s remarkable is that it all works,” Pak says. “The detailing is very precise, and it has all the right proportions.” The current owners have maintained the decades-old landscaping, which makes a cameo in the 1989 film Driving Miss Daisy, when Daisy greets gardeners in the yard before getting in the car with Hoke. Look for the anachronistic goof: Though the scene is set in the late 1940s, skylights from the house’s 1984 renovation are readily visible.
This article appears in our Winter 2018 issue of Atlanta Magazine’s HOME.
