Susana Machado Bernard House and Barn, Art Nouveau residence in Pico-Union district, Los Angeles, United States.
The Susana Machado Bernard House and Barn is a 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) Art Nouveau Gothic Revival mansion and carriage house at the corner of South Lake Street and James M. Wood Boulevard in the Pico Union section of Los Angeles. Architect John B. Parkinson designed it in 1901 with vaulted ceilings and curved walls. Since 2002 it has operated as Casa Libre/Freedom House, a fourteen-bed shelter for homeless minors.
The architect John Parkinson designed this residence in 1901 for its original owner. Parkinson would go on to design Los Angeles City Hall and Union Station, establishing himself as a major figure in the city's development.
The residence takes its name from its original owner, whose family had deep roots in the region from earlier generations. It now serves a social mission, transforming its grand spaces into a place of support for young people in need.
The building stands in a residential neighborhood and can be viewed from the street, though it currently operates as a residential shelter. Visitors should expect limited interior access and respect the privacy of residents and the facility's operations.
The property was bought in 1996 by the Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law, and since 2002 the mansion has run as Casa Libre/Freedom House, a fourteen-bed shelter for homeless minors. It arranges schooling, counseling and medical care for undocumented and unaccompanied immigrant children, mainly from Latin America.
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