The Glass House, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, announces the complete restoration of the historic Brick House (1949) designed by Philip Johnson. Completed just months before the Glass House, the Brick House was an integral part of the architect’s original plan for the site, offering two essential halves to a single composition. Closed to the public since 2008 due to ongoing damage from water infiltration, it has left half of the property’s core architectural story untold. The National Trust has secured $1.8 million to restore, renovate, and conserve the Brick House and its collections. Restoring the Glass House campus to its full glory as a National Historic Landmark will coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Glass House in 2024.The Brick House, aka the “Guest House,” is an essential foil to the glass pavilion it faces. Clad in iron spot brick laid in a Flemish bond pattern, the structures are linked by a grassy court and offer a lesson in contrasts. The Brick House served as both a guest house and a retreat for Johnson and his partner, David Whitney until they died in 2005. Given the vital role of the Brick House in the site’s composition and social history, it is one of the most important and central assets of the 49-acre historic site. Restoration of this building will significantly expand the site’s interpretation and programming, allowing it to engage new visitors and preserve and advance understanding of 20th-century architecture and LGBTQ cultural heritage. Restoring and reopening the Brick House has long been the museum’s greatest preservation priority. The project will be a complete interior and exterior restoration.
Photo: Michael Biondo

Brick House Restoration