Awards
Design
Citation of Merit
Residential
The jury awards a Design Citation of Merit for the restoration of the Gagarin II Residence. Commissioned by Andy and Jamie Gagarin in 1973 and completed in 1974, it is one of the last residences Breuer worked on. The home features a binuclear structure with a butterfly roof that echoes the iconic House in the Garden designed by Breuer for MoMA. Grounding it in its natural surroundings in the rolling hills of Litchfield, the home pays close attention to the use of a limited range of materials such as fieldstone to relate it to its natural surroundings. The owners purchased the home directly from the Gagarin family in 2016. Jamie Gagarin had collaborated closely with Breuer on the design, which gave the new owners access to the home's original blueprints, pictures, and stories. They used these reference materials, elements from Breuer's other work, and conversations with Breuer's architectural partner Bob Gatje, to inform the restoration process. Inappropriate vinyl siding was removed and replaced with tongue and groove wood that maintains visual continuity. Where the original wooden deck had been removed by previous owners, leaving only a concrete slab, the substructure was improved with a gravel bed and drainage system, and the deck was recreated in its exact pattern. A new HVAC system was carefully installed using original blueprints to locate empty areas in the walls to keep the infrastructure concealed.
“Following the recently destroyed Geller House in Long Island, it is important to acknowledge the significance of these modest modern homes and celebrate stewards who seek to honor the design and see significance beyond its land value.”
- Liz Waytkus, Docomomo US Executive Director
“The project exhibits a very high design quality, including landscape. Breuer houses tend to be small by today’s standards, so, many times, the response is a major enlargement, which did not happen here. I applaud the intelligent restraint.”
Kyra and Robertson Hartnett
Kyra and Robertson Hartnett (General Contractors); Sub-contractors: Benovation, Bryant Glass, K&M Hauling, Toledo Masonry, Muecke Inc., Clifford A. Cooper Architecture, TNT Refrigeration, Hearne Hardwoods, Custom Electric, Creative Electric, J&M Plumbing, Slate & Copper Services
How to Visit
Private residence
Location
Gagarin II
Gallows LaneLitchfield, Connecticut, 06759
Country
United StatesCase Study House No. 21
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Designer(s)
Marcel Breuer
Architect
Nationality
American, Hungarian
Robert Gatje
Architect
Nationality
American
Affiliation
Marcel Breuer
Other designers
Tician Papachristou