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