164. Philip Johnson’s Glass House

“Lifestyle site Thrillist set out to find the most beautiful building in each state and Philip Johnson's New Canaan Glass House got the nod for Connecticut,” reported CT Insider. The Glass House, internationally famous for its design is also a landmark in the history of historic preservation and the history of the LGBTQ community. To celebrate May as historic preservation month and June as LGBTQ Pride month, here’s the story of its owner and designer Philip Johnson and his Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut.

https://www.ctinsider.com/living/article/Glass-House-named-most-beautiful-building-in-6777524.php

 

Our guest for today’s episode is Gwen North Reiss, who has conducted many interviews for the Glass House oral history project and worked for several years as an Educator, conducting tours of the 49-acre National Trust for Historic Preservation site. Her article for CT Explored—Philip Johnson's 50-year Experiment in Architecture and Landscape—was published in the winter of 2020.  She has written many articles on modern architecture in New Canaan especially during the early 2000s when New Canaan’s experimental modern houses were being demolished.

Read her story here: https://www.ctexplored.org/philip-johnsons-50-year-experiment-in-architecture-and-landscape/

Read more about Philip Johnson here: https://www.ctexplored.org/philip-johnson-in-his-own-words/

To learn more about the Glass House and to book a tour, go to theglasshouse.org

Photo Credit: Michael Biondo

 

Fresh episodes of Grating the Nutmeg are brought to you every two weeks with support from our listeners. You can help us continue to produce the podcast by donating directly to Grating the Nutmeg on the Connecticut Explored website at ctexplored.org   Click the donate button at the top and then look for the Grating the Nutmeg donation link. Donations in any amount are greatly appreciated-we thank you!

 

This episode of Grating the Nutmeg was produced by Mary Donohue and engineered by Patrick O’Sullivan at www.highwattagemedia.com/

 

Donohue may be reached at marydonohue@comcast.net