Matsen House ❖ 1953

Address: 1800 San Gabriel Street

Historic Designation:

• City of Austin Historic Landmark (2009)

• Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (2011)

The Matsen House was built from 1952 to 1953 by Frederick and Cecelia Matsen. The house features Oakhill limestone walls and design elements influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, including high ceilings, cross ventilation, and a diagonal lot orientation to capture breezes. Frederick Matsen was a distinguished chemistry and physics professor at UT Austin, known for pioneering computational quantum chemistry, publishing extensively, and mentoring numerous PhD students. He received prestigious fellowships, helped establish UT’s first computer center, and was active internationally in scientific research. Matsen’s teaching was innovative, blending advanced algebraic quantum mechanics with computer technology, and he contributed significantly to UT’s academic community and scientific advancements.