Philip Johnson meets Maurice Sendak, perhaps

This could be an all-good-outcome situation. The former headquarters of Schlumberger, Ltd in Ridgefield, CT is being considered to house and exhibit the works of Maurice Sendak. Although the combo seems a little incongruous – a corporate HQ for an oil and gas drilling equipment and technology company + the creative works of the author/illustrator of possibly the most moving and indleible children's books – it is great to think that the museum will be in the town where Sendak lived and that people will get to see this building, which is totally hidden from viewing as a drive-by.

After close brushes with being razed or bought by an art collector for his private collection, this seems like a very good fit for all. – GF

Make room on the bookshelf – here comes Cape Cod Modern

Metropolis Books has a June 2014 issue date for Cape Cod Modern – Mid-Century Architecture and Community on the Outer Cape by Peter McMahon, (Director of the Cape Cod Modern House Trust), and Christine Cipriani, with Photographs by Raimund Koch. Check it out and pre-order here. If you order now, you'll have until June 9 to scoot those other design and architecture books over to make room. You may need to clear a whole shelf, though, when you see all the other wonderful offerings at artbook.com. . . – GF

Man-made weather events for The Glass House

While this could be pretty cool to see first hand, my initial reaction in, "Why?". It's especially ironic that the first manufactured fogs are due to begin rolling in today, May 1, 2014, while Mother Nature has an intense fog show going on right outside my window, 8 miles away from PG's house . . .

Although I'm sure they've thoroughly researched the effect extra moisture can have on the building, I'll desperate, as usual, to keep humidity out of and away from my house this summer.

Let us know if you visit The Glass House while one of these fog events occurs, and what you thought of it. – GF
Images by Richard Barnes

Coming up: Life and Work of Frank Lloyd Wright in and around NYC

Sign up for Inside/Out: Frank Lloyd Wright and The City, a long weekend of tours and exhibitions to benefit Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House Complex in Buffalo, NY.

The description on the Martin House Complex website's events page promises “exclusive access to Wright-designed private residences, entry into museum special exhibitions, and the unique opportunity to visit Manitoga, the home and studio of famed mid-century designer Russel Wright”.

The event takes place Thursday, 22 May – Sunday 25 May, and since space is limited, you should reserve your spot quickly by calling 716-856-3858. Reservations are due by April 8.

I first heard about the Martin House Complex at one of the New Canaan Historical Society's Modern House Day Symposiums when Toshiko Mori was a speaker and showed photos of the elegant visitor's center called the Greatbatch Pavilion that her office had just completed. 

The long-weekend event sounds like a great time for FLW enthusiasts to pack in a lot of interesting and diverse viewing. – GF

John Johansen landmark building to be destroyed. Maybe.

The very cool-looking Mummers Theater in Oklahoma City will be demolished, says this story on Archinect. But according to this, on A | N (Architects Newspaper) blog, maybe it won't be. We shall see. – GF

Jens Risom at Silvermine

Make a point of visiting the Silvermine Arts Center in New Canaan, CT in the next couple of weeks to see "The Answer is Risom", an exhibition of Jens Risom's furniture design. Jens's work is so important and relevant that anyone interested in Modern or good, timeless design in any medium should see it (if not live with it). The show runs January 8 through February 16, 2014. The opening reception is this Sunday, January 12, from 2 – 4pm. Read more about the exhibition here.

Another compelling reason to visit The Guild, as we used to call Slivermine Artis Center, is to see works by Robert Gregson. Known perhaps predominantly for his architectural photography and his kinetic, graphic and colorful sculptures in wood, this show of Bob's will be drawings. See more of Bob's wonderful, completely engaging work here. The opening for Bob's show is also Sunday, January 12, from 2 – 4pm, but the show comes down February 1.

See you Sunday at Silvermine! – GF

(Risom portrait from Knoll.com)

Gem of a little house sits lightly on its landscape

Reminiscent of Philip Johnson's Glass House, this guest house by Desai/Chia Architecture is a lovely gem. Modern principals expressed in totally up-to-the minute terms, including incorporating good energy practices like geothermal, rain water harvesting and photovoltaic.
What reminds me of the Glass House is the 'solid' core, which in P.G's home's case was just the bathroom, but here it houses the (probably considerable) mechanicals as well as the bath, so the surrounding perimeter is free to expose itself to the landscape. With no headers above the glass walls, this ceiling really does appear to float. The wood interior looks to be perfectly crafted – floor to ceiling.

Crisp and streamlined, yet warm, inviting and extremely livable. I'd love to be there the morning after a good snowstorm. via Pursuitist – GF

What's up with Blogger?

My apologies for such an ugly blog . . . I haven't been on Blogger in many months, and I see now that our formerly handsome layout has been corrupted somehow. Well the words are there, the links all work – I'm just sorry it's so awful looking! I will fix it when I find the time.

Thanks for reading our Modern notes!

Modern House Day 2013 is here!

The New Canaan Historical Society is holding another Modern House Day Tour + Symposium, on Saturday, October 5, offering the chance to have an in-depth guided tour of some of the town’s finest examples of modern architecture and to mingle with their owners, designers and architects.

The first MHD in 1949 attracted more than 3,000 people. In 2004, the NCHS revived the tradition and added a symposium that offers the opportunity to hear from experts in the field of Modern architecture and art. Subsequent MHDs in 2007, '09, '11 were all sold-out events. This year’s theme, entitled A Modern Mix: Art + Architecture, celebrates Art in the Modern home.

The MHD opens at 8:30am with check in and a continental breakfast at New Canaan Country School (NCCS), whose campus features buildings by Modern architects: The Arthur K. Watson gymnasium (1974), the Henry Welles Building (1968) and the original Stevens Building (1978), all designed by Gary Lindstrom, as well as the Middle School and Science Buildings (1961) which were designed by Landis Gores. The Symposium is held in the lovely new auditorium (which was the creaky old gym when I was a student there in the '60s). At this time, there will be books on architecture available for purchase, and you will be free to walk the campus.

The Symposium begins at 10am and will be moderated by John Arbuckle, DOCOMOMO New York/Tri-State board president, co-chairman of the AIA New York Chapter Historic Buildings Committee, and President of Arbuckle Architecture Tours, LLC. John formerly served as Director of Business Development at Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects and as an Associate at Beckhard Richlan Szerbaty & Associates, a successor to the office of Marcel Breuer.

The Symposium speakers are:
Michael Biondo,  Photographer – "Translating Architecture"
For 25 years, Michael has traveled the world photographing architecture and fashion for leading publications. His most recent photographs are featured in Allan Greenberg’s upcoming monograph. He is currently working on a book about New Canaan’s mid-century modern houses.

Robert Gregson, Photographer – "Art in Architecture"
Bob Gregson is an artist who uses architecture as an element in his playful installations and projects. His work encourages interaction and participation – and his love of architecture is expressed in his photographs.
 
Mary Thorp, Founder of The Harry Bertoia Research Project – "Bertoia: An Architect’s Friend"
A Bertoia expert and aficionado, Mary Thorp is cataloguing Harry Bertoia’s work, organizing exhibitions, and lecturing on his work at auction houses, museums, and universities.

Lunch at NCCS follows the Symposium. After lunch, event-goers will be transported to each location on the tour via small private tour vans, escorted by an architect or historian of the Modern Movement (or maybe by me – neither a historian nor an architect, but I know my way around!).

OK... ok... okay.... I will put you out of your misery. HERE ARE THE ARCHITECTS of the HOUSES ON THE TOUR:

Ulrich Franzen, Gates and Ford, Alan Goldberg, Landis Gores, John Johansen, Bimel Kehm, Hugh Smallen and Edward Durell Stone. I am not at liberty to divulge which actual houses are on the tour because the New Canaan Historical Society is scrupulously honorable about protecting the privacy of the homeowners who have generously opened their for the tour, but I can assure you they are winners.

Each house will have an architect present to point out things of particular interest and to answer questions. In one or 2 cases the actual architect of recent renovations of a particular house will be present at the MHD, if not at the house itself. How great is that?

The day will close with really nice evening cocktail reception at the New Canaan Historical Society. This is really a full day, and, I think, well worth the $275 ticket price. Please call the New Canaan Historical Society to reserve your spot at 203 966 1776, or register online here.

WHOOOO – HOOOOO! Another fantastic day of getting a big, heathy dose of Modern architecture, right at the source! Thank you, New Canaan Historical Society for keeping it fresh!

A Fire Island story

Never having set foot on Fire Island, though we don't live very far away, I enjoyed reading about that unique place and the Architect Horace Gifford in this story on the Metropolis Blog. This story was in the New York Times on May 22 as well, and both stories help to introduce Christopher Rawlins' new book, Fire Island Modernist: Horace Gifford and the Architecture of Seduction. – GF

Burge Pavilion, Fire Island Pines, N.Y., 1965, ©Horace Gifford

Kauth House, Fair Harbor, N.Y., 1964, ©Michael Weber

Go Mod hunting this Saturday – but hurry to get your ticket!

Only a few more hours left to sign up for the Open House New York and DoCoMoMo US 2nd Annual Modern Architecture & Design Scavenger Hunt! Spend this Saturday, 9 March 2013,  exploring New York City and take photographs of the best examples of modern architecture and design in New York for a chance to win prizes. Scavenger Hunt is March 9, from 11am – 5pm and the closing reception is 5 – 7pm. Tickets are $30. Learn more here.

And the 11th Annual OHNY Weekend is coming up. Read more about this fun coupla days here. 

John Johansen

John Johansen, one of the last of the architects from the High Modern era, as he called it, died on Friday. We had occasion to hear him and to encounter him several times at the New Canaan Historical Society's Modern House Days.

In 2007 he and Jens Risom, the furniture designer and a New Canaan resident, both spoke at the Modern House Day symposium. They were both 91 at the time.

Jens, who during his talk asserted that "arcitecture is the most beautiful of all the arts," referred to Johansen as Jo. 

"I’m one month older than Jo," he said. "We meet each other and say, 'My God! Are you still alive?' "

I've compiled links to posts from our blog about Johansen and his houses:

A Visit to Johansen's Bridge House, June 11, 2008

John Johansen's Classic Bridge House in New Canaan is on the Market for $5 million, June 8, 2008

This House Has Been Demolished: The Harvard Five in New Canaan, January 8, 2008

Johansen's Pyramid House, April 14, 2011

Five Moderns, May 4, 2009

Three Modernists at Modern House Day, November 6, 2007

The Glass House [with an account of a Johansen talk at the 2004 New Canaan Modern House Day), January 26, 2005

Here's his obituary, from the Times.

Here are some notes I found in my journal, made around the time of the November 2007 Modern House Day, which is always preceded by a Friday evening cocktail party, where we chatted with Jens Risom:

"Johansen was also at the cocktail party, although I didn’t talk to him – couldn’t think of anything to say in particular. He has a thinning mane of white hair swept back and a well-trimmed white beard. He said that gropius was the apollian figure in modern architecture, while he learned more from breuer at drinking parties, so breuer was the "bacchalonian" figure. When he came of age the Ecole des Beaux Arts was fading away, no longer able to deal with the problems of the modern world, no longer had the spirit to stir men’s blood. At Harvard there was a fierce and joyous spirit, where they taught principles but not styles, a new way of thinking, a new way of feeling, a new way of design, and a new way of living. In new canaan they imparted this to a few of our first clients. Noyes was first – he represented the box. Breuer learned from breuer [sic – I don't know if that's a typo or if it's what Johansen said], Johnson learned from mies, Gores learned from Wright – his beautiful, beautiful house of his own still stands. Johansen found his way out of the box through symbolism, biomorphism, historicism and high technology. During early modern house days the houses weren’t finished and some leaked. They’d open up their own houses and exchange furniture with each other – for example, a Corbusier chair shown in a slide – to give interior respectability. He showed a slide of one of his structures and said that when two people passing by stopped to look at it, one asked what is it. The other said, I don’t know but let’s buy it and turn it into a house. johansen built 27 houses, 8 of which have been lost, as he put it. The reward is in the doing, the product doesn’t matter, I won already for having created it. And finally, a more forceful reference – forgive them, for they know not what they do." -- TA

Lithe and lovely-sounding glass structure proposed in New Canaan

I had no idea such an entity existed right here in New Canaan, nor that it owned the horse farm that I've known my whole life, on the corner of Smith Ridge Rd. and Puddin Hill, but Grace Church has commissioned what looks to be a rather interesting building on that property.

This is the first project in the U.S. for the Japanese architectural firm, SANAA. The steel, glass, concrete and wood structure, dubbed "The River", meanders through about an acre of the 75-acre property, which was formerly approved for a 10-lot subdivision, and is projected to cost around 50 to 60 million dollars.  See more information on the architects and their vision for this structure here, and read the press release that describes the building.

There are many large paddocks and traditional style horse barns on the property, now called Grace Farms, and while the land will be conserved in perpetuity as open space, "The River" will include a sanctuary where services will be held, a library, areas for children, a gymnasium, dining room, and meeting space, and will be "a spiritual and community center for the benefit of New Canaan, the greater community and Grace Church".

I must say, I think it's fantastic that included on the Grace Farms Project Team are a Meadow Consultant and a Conservation Planning & Herpetologist, who happens to be an old acquaintance of ours, Dr. Michael Klemens.

The project is in review by New Canaan's Planning and Zoning. I will keep an eye on this exciting-looking new 'Glass House' of New Canaan! – GF

I have a new swoon...

I'm loving the work of McClean Quinlan Architects. These examples stood out because stonework like this gets me every time, especially when paired with unadorned glass and other smooth, serene materials. How about that glass entry? Their city house renovations are very handsome, too.  – GF

Modern, prefab hideaway – in 4 minutes and 9 seconds flat.

Horden Cherry Lee's m-ch (Micro Compact Home) measures just 266cm x 266cm x 266cm. The ceiling height is 198cm and the door width is 60cm.

The inside features:

• two compact double beds, each measuring 198cm x 107cm, with covered cushions
• storage space for bedding and cleaning equipment
• a sliding table measuring 105cm x 65cm, for dining for up to five people
• flat screen television in the living/dining space
• a shower and toilet cubicle
• a kitchen area, which is fitted with electrical points and features a double hob, sink and extending tap, microwave, fridge and freezer units, three compartment waste unit, storage shelves, cutlery drawers with gentle return sprung slides and double level work surfaces
• thermostat controlled ducted warm air heating, air conditioning, water heating
• fire alarm and smoke detectors

Delivery by helicopter – think of the location possibilities!

More about Micro Compact Home and Horden Cherry Lee here and here. Watch the 4+ minute, actual-time installation video here.

Seen on Dezeen

Bee Modern

I've written, or wanted to write, about modern 'houses' and accoutrements for our domestic animal friends – cats, dogs, fish, chickens and goats. Now it's time to expand the list to include the wonderful insects that make life on Earth possible: bees. Beekeeping is becoming increasingly popular, so naturally, traditional hive design has been rethought, and among the results are these nice-looking hives from BuBees.

The hives are constructed almost entirely from salvaged wood. I am so impressed that Steve Steere, who started BuBees last year, was moved to create hives in an effort to help relieve the devastating effects of Colony Collapse Disorder, which has been blamed for a 30% annual reduction in honeybee populations, saying, “I felt it was very important to have as many people keeping bees in as many different areas as possible”. I would like to be one of those people! Read more here. – GF

Photo link info: Dog house • Goat milking shed

Sunday, May 20 : May is for Moderns Tour

This Sunday, May 20, William Pitt Sotheby's is sponsoring a tour of Mid-century Modern houses in, and in towns right next door to, New Canaan, CT. Each of the 8 houses have been either restored, updated, renovated or expanded; some are currently on the market. The tour is free but reservations are advised as space is limited

Here's the link for more info... See you there! – GF

Let there be Modern electricity!

I have always been irked by switch plates, and really anything that mars a smooth surface. Although they look like tiny terrified faces, the standard grounded electrical wall outlet used in the U.S. has undergone a beautiful transformation and is just the thing for a Modern house renovation or new construction. Bravo Bocci!  Via Atelier AD – GF

Noyes home Calder mobiles to find a new place to hang

This mobile by Alexander Calder [Untitled, 1957. Hanging mobile painted sheet metal and wire. 32 x118 x 84 in.] is estimated to fetch $3,000,000- 4,000,000 in a May 8th auction.

This one, and another lovely, all-white one called 'Snow Furry', were commissioned by Eliot Noyes for his home in New Canaan, CT.

Go here to learn the story behind these works and about the relationship between Noyes and Calder, who "shared fundamental beliefs about art, design and modern living. Together, they exemplified a desire to integrate art and architecture completely, forging an experience that enthralled and excited visitors. They re-wrote the accepted rules of their respective trades, setting off reverberations that can still be felt today."

I love how Fred Noyes, Eliot's son,  recalls the part these pieces played in the home he grew up in – very much alive entities, not objects to be looked at and not touched.

Via ArtDaily.org. Here and here are the listing at Christie's. – GF

Stick this in your Modern house and light it!

 I actually don't like anything on the horizontal surfaces in my house, (haven't had much luck with that...), but I can't resist these table lamps from Spain's LZF Lamps. This line, called Air, also has a wall sconce sibling – oh so beautiful! The designer at LZF credited with the creation of the line is named Ray Power – what a great name for a lighting designer!

Also by LZF is the wonderful Nut hanging light that I've admired before, and learned something new about on the website today:
"Nut is Greek for “Goddess of the Sky”. Its form and etymology reminiscent of a knot, hence its name, knot in Valencian." – GF

via 2modern