The Glass House in New Canaan, CT. Designed by architect Philip Johnson. Library of Congress Public Domain Image Collection.
The Quality of Doing: Mid-Century Modern Grand Homes & Gardens
The Mid-Century Modern (MCM) movement continues to shape the aesthetics of today through architecture, furniture, interior design, and gardening. Thanks to pop culture, a renewed interest in nostalgia, and sleek tech designs, MCM feels fresh, stylish, and contemporary. Mid-century modern homes are particularly sought after because of their thoughtful, sensible design approach, characterized by clean and simple lines, honest use of materials, and a lack of embellishment.
At its core, Mid-Century Modern is the story of people—the artists, designers, and architects who took chances to experiment with form in the post-World War II era's societal change. As renowned designer and architect Charles Eames is often quoted, “Art resides in the quality of doing; process is not magic.”
We are pleased to present the 2025 Grand Homes and Gardens Speaker Series featuring four scholars who will look at the work of Mid-Century Modern architects and designers through the lens of landmark homes and gardens across the United States.
Please see below our schedule of programs and links to tickets for individual programs.
Louis Kahn and The Toby and Steven Korman House
Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.
With William Whitaker, Director and Chief Curator of the Architectural Archives of the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design and author of The Houses of Louis Kahn (Yale University Press, 2013)
Architecting Nature: Philip Johnson, David Whitney and the Evolution of the Glass House Estate, 1946-2024
Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.
With Maureen Cassidy Geiger, Art Historian and author of The Philip Johnson Glass House: An Architect in the Garden (Skira Rizzoli, 2016)
Reclaiming The Edith Farnsworth House
Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.
With Nora Wendl, Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of New Mexico and author of the forthcoming Almost Nothing: Reclaiming Edith Farnsworth (University of Illinois Press, publication date May 20, 2025)
Celebrating the Experimental: The Case Study Houses
Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.
With Elizabeth A. T. Smith, Art Historian, Curator, and author of Case Study Houses: 1945-1966: The California Impetus (Taschen, 2016)
Refreshments inspired by each site and time period will be served. The programs are hybrid, offered both in-person and virtually. Talks begin at 6:30 p.m. in Morven’s Stockton Education Center. Doors and the virtual waiting room open at 6:00 p.m. Upon registration, a Zoom link will be sent to virtual participants. All programs will be recorded and shared with registrants following each event.
The 2025 Grand Homes and Gardens Speaker Series is sponsored by Bryn Mawr Trust. Individual programs sponsors are Capital Health, David Schure and Grant Wagner of Callaway Henderson Sotheby's International Realty, and Mrs. G Appliances.
Ticket Prices
Tickets can be purchased for the full series or for individual programs (see individual program links listed above). FOR MORVEN MEMBERS: Please note that you must login into your Morven Member account in the upper righthand corner of the registration page in order to access the member rate.
