The Glass House Welcomes a New Chapter with Kirsten Reoch

Philip Johnson’s Glass House has stood as a testament to architectural innovation for nearly 70 years and his six distinct houses in New Canaan are just the tip of the iceberg. We are also home to gems from other luminaries like Frank Lloyd Wright and Edward Durrell Stone, both of which are on the market for sale now. Call your favorite realtor!

This week, September 11, this most important site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation is set to embrace a new era under the leadership of Kirsten Reoch. With her extensive experience from the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan, Reoch's appointment promises a renewed dedication to preserving New Canaan's rich architectural tapestry. Please help me in properly thanking Greg Sages for his excellent leadership of the Glass House for the last decade as we welcoming Kirsten to New Canaan and this important new role.

New Canaan is known for its midcentury modern houses. Here, the James Evans House of 1960, a Yale man, not of the Harvard Five.

Tonight, Thursday Sept 14 , 6:30 at the Library is the latest program in the Glass House Presents series of live events that extends the site’s historic role as a gathering place for artists, architects, and other creative minds. Architect Max Strang joins Glass House chief curator Hilary Lewis to discuss his work and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The talk is co-hosted by New Canaan Library and supported by the New Canaan Community Foundation.

New Canaan's Architectural Maestros: Beyond The Harvard Five

While the Midcentury Modern movement in New Canaan is often synonymous with Philip Johnson and The Harvard Five, the town's architectural legacy is far more expansive. Those 5 architects designed only 17 of the 91 houses on the Modern Home Survey. Victor Christ-Janer, James Evans, and Hugh Smallen, Edward Durrell Stone, Taylor Gates & Russell Ford, Lazlo Papp, and Alan Goldberg (two proud current residents) represent another 41 of the listed designs. Their homes, each unique yet harmoniously blending with the town's ethos, have made New Canaan a veritable treasure trove of midcentury modern architecture.

The Market for Midcentury Moderns

There are two midcentury moderns on the market today in New Canaan, (none in Darien but six in Westport). Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Tirranna” from 1955 is 7,000 feet and sits on 14 acres. The masterpiece is listed for $8 million by Marsha Charles. Two years later Edward Durrell Stone competed with Frank Lloyd Wright for the commission to design the “Celanese House” and won. Distinctive for the glass pyramids on the roof and decorative screen front,, that 4,427 foot house on 2 acres is listed for $4.7 million with Melissa Rwambuya and Hannelore Kaplan. While less prolific here, Stone was an architect at Johnsons and Wright’s level. His other designs include Radio City Music Hall, the Museum of Modern Art and the Kennedy Center for the Arts.

Those two houses are, in some ways, exceptional even for the movement.  What’s more typical? Looking at the last 6 years of midcentury modern houses we find 36 sales. The average home sold for $1.85 million and the median $1.52 million. (Three exceptional house sales brought up the average, notably a $4.8 million sale in 2021 of a John Black Lee design on Oenoke Ridge, a Philip Johnson on Sleepy Hollow for $5.0 million in 2020 and the 2018 sale of the Frank Lloyd Wright house for $7.2 million.)  The typical Midcentury Modern is the median sale: 3,458 feet on 2.29 acres selling for $1.522 million. That’s $514 per foot after 76 days on the market at 172% of assessed value. How does that compare to non-moderns over the same 6-year period? There were 401 mid-century colonials sold during the same 6 year period. The colonials are also 3500 feet but sold for $1.39 million, $398 per foot and 152% of the assessors estimate after 59 days on the market. This tells me that moderns are commanding a premium of about $130,000 over a colonial. Cape-cod style homes sell similarly. There were 77 sales at a median of $1.25 million, $422 per foot and 152% of assessed value after 41 days on market. What is the value of a particularly famous architect or an exceptionally good design? These 36 sales show a design premium can range from a few hundred thousand dollars to several million dollars when compared to a similarly assessed house of the period. Hugh Smallen’s “Tatum House” of 1962 is an example, selling for more than $2 million more than the assessment predicted. Philip Johnson’s “Wiley House” of 1952 sold for a $1.4 million premium. Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Tirranna” sold for only $4.8 million back in 2018 which was not a premium over its tax assessment, given the fact that it sits on 15 acres. showing that even some of our brightest stars can have a bad day.

A Deep Dive into New Canaan's Architectural Heritage

For those keen on understanding New Canaan’s architectural richness, I recommend starting with two books: William Earl's wrote one of the best books on the movement, "The Harvard Five in New Canaan". The second, “Midcentury Houses Today” takes on the unparalleled concentration of residential modernism in New Canaan, Connecticut, and demonstrates how 16 of these houses are experienced and lived in today. They present this vanishing generation of iconic American houses as more than an issue of restoration or preservation, but as an evolving legacy that adapts to contemporary life. (Buy these books at the Glass House gift shop or Elm Street Books.) Additionally, the Glass House's Modern Home Survey is available online and provides an exhaustive look at 91 of the homes, showcasing the breadth and depth of New Canaan's architectural wonders.

The Grainger Society: Celebrating New Canaan's Architectural Gems

Amidst this architectural splendor lies a closely-guarded secret: the Grainger Society. This exclusive club of midcentury modern enthusiasts gathers in New Canaan's iconic homes several times per year, learning, exploring and celebrating the town's architectural legacy. Membership offers a unique window into this world, with events and gatherings that provide unparalleled insights. For those with a passion for midcentury modern design, the society's doors are open, welcoming new members to join in preserving and celebrating New Canaan's heritage. Recently the Society was treated to private tours of The Celanese House and The House On the Hill. In October, we’ll welcome executive director Kirsten Reoch properly and tour the studio of famous stone sculptor Mark Mennin.

New Canaan: An Ongoing Architectural Symphony

In conclusion, New Canaan is more than a town; it's an architectural symphony, with each structure contributing a unique note. From The Harvard Five's innovations to the contributions of other architectural maestros, the town stands as a living testament to a golden era of design.

With visionaries like Kirsten Reoch leading iconic sites and resources like the Modern Home Survey, New Canaan's architectural legacy is set to shine even brighter. For residents, visitors, and architecture aficionados, the town offers not just homes, but stories — stories of innovation, design, and a community's enduring love for architectural brilliance.

Check out John Engel’s Podcast, Boroughs & Burbs, the National Real Estate Conversation here.