The Glass

House
by Philip Johnson

LinkpingUniversity

Group 9b

TheGlassHouse
1949,NewCanaan,USA
byPhilipJohnsonashisownresidence,

GlassHouse,oneoftheworld'smostbeautifulyetleastfunctional
houses;itwasneverenvisionedasa'home'(house)toliveinbutalife
stylestagetolivewith
HenryRussellHitchcockandArthurDrexler

LinkpingUniversity

Video playing
2:00

Less is more
- Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe.

unity, order, purity

Why not take out the landscaping, the
retaining walls, the colonnades? The building
would be just as useful and much cheaper.
- Philip Johnson

The building is an essay in minimal structure,

geometry, proportion, and the effects of
transparency and reflection.

LinkpingUniversity

 Changingworld,postwarAmericansociety
Refusesmoothchange
Efficiency,functionality
Leanlifestyle&economiccautiousness
Unitywithconquerednature
Transparencyanduniqueness
Simplicity

"Glasshouseissymmetricalandsitssolidlyon
theground."
Glasshouseaffirmsthepowerofhumanbeings
tocreate,improve,andreshapetheir
environment,withtheaidofpractical
experimentation,scientificknowledgeor
technology
LinkpingUniversity

The house was hated, when it was

built
- Philip Johnson

Freshairandlookintothefuture.

LinkpingUniversity


TheGlasshousecreatesan
illusion,prototype,apureidea.
Conceptcarsnevergointo
productiondirectly;inmoderntimes
allwouldhavetoundergomany
changesbeforethedesignis
finalizedforthesakeofpracticality,
safetyandcost.

LinkpingUniversity

Important contribution
to world architecture
...masterwork, key monument in post-war
construction. It is significant because it
epitomizes the International Style and has
long been regarded as one of the premier
representatives of modernism
- National Historic Landmark program

LinkpingUniversity

 Transparency
Open/Integrationbetweeninternal,externalspace.
Lightconnectingtotransparency,thehousehasthemostlight.
LinkpingUniversity

LinkpingUniversity

Artofhomemaking
Domesticity
Interiordecoration
Environmentalaesthetics

Rejectionoftradition.
Humanisapowerfulcreator.
Expressionofpowerovernaturenatureisawallpapers
umancanbreakalllimitsthroughnewmaterials

LinkpingUniversity

Beautiful!!!Worthtobeconsideredasanartpiece!!!
Innovativeidea
Unityofman&nature
Uniqueness
...Comfortisnotafunctionofbeauty...purposeisnotnecessarytomakeabuilding
beautiful...soonerorlaterwewillfitourbuildingssothattheycanbeused...whereform
comesfromIdon'tknow,butithasnothingatalltodowiththefunctionalor
sociologicalaspectsofourarchitecture.
PhilipJohnson

LinkpingUniversity

http://architecture.about.com/library/blpoll-glass.htm

LinkpingUniversity