Iconic House
Members of our Design Team had a chance to visit the Philip Johnson iconic Glass House, in New Canaan (CT), just north of New York city.
The famous American architect initially built it in 1949 as a weekend retreat, before moving in permanently until his death in 2005 at the age of 99.
The house is inspired by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House (Plano, Illinois) and has become a classic piece of modern architecture.
The design and aesthetic are minimalist, and the construction uses industrial materials such as steel, glass, and brick.
The complete transparency of the four glass walls allows for the formal structuralism of the house to fully morph in the surrounding nature.
“Architecture is the art of how to waste space”
– Philip Johnston
Philip Johnston certainly had space to waste, but he certainly did not waste his time and talent. The 49 acres property encompasses several other buildings such as a studio/library and an art gallery, and man-made natural construction such as a round in-ground pool or a pound.
The overall estate reads as the architectural diary of its owner. Visiting the different constructions and walking through the land, we could feel both the creative energy that has fueled Philip Johnson as well as the peacefulness he must have feel living here.
A must-see visit if you want to experiment a piece of mid-century modern architecture.