House of the Day: Rockefeller Guest House by Philip Johnson

Rockefeller Guest House, Philip Johnson, The Modern House
Rockefeller Guest House, Philip Johnson, The Modern House

Built between 1949-50, the Rockefeller Guest House is one of the earliest examples of Johnson’s work in New York City which explicitly draws influence from Mies van der Rohe. Being more accustomed to designing single-storey lateral living spaces, when tasked with designing a second floor Johnson drew on Mies’ sketches for unbuilt court houses and university campus buildings.

The house was designed for Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller, and was intended to be used primarily as a place for social gatherings and a personal modern art gallery.

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