Hufft Projects Travels Back in Time With Marcel Breuer in New Film

It's not every day an architect gets to revisit the work of a master. That's why the team at Hufft Projects knew they had a rare opportunity on their hands when tasked with restoring Marcel Breuer's Snower House in Kansas City to its original midcentury glory.

"With a home in such pristine and original condition, you can really sense its soul and the soul of its creator," says Matthew Hufft, the firm's cofounder and creative director. "So we decided to create a moment in time as we imagined it to be, as Mr. Snower may have lived it."

Together, the team created the film A Letter to Marcel, a filmic reimagination of the story behind the house. Luckily, the Hufft Projects team had a wealth of tools with which to recreate the story of the 1950s build. Not only did the house include much of the original furniture specified and designed by Breuer, the residents also had the original correspondence between Breuer and his client, Robert Snower—including a letter in which Breuer rejects the proposal. (See one of those original letters, published in our May 2016 issue, here.)

"Beyond being an incredible modern landmark, this home has a remarkable story around its creation," Hufft explains. "As we began to read further into the correspondence between Mr. Snower and Marcel Breuer, we felt that a glimpse into the design of the home through motion was necessary. Our primary goal with this film was to share a piece of the story through the eyes of the incredible pioneers it took to create such a design 70 years ago, while raising awareness and the importance of preserving such landmarks."

Learn more about the Snower House in our September 2016 issue—and follow @HufftProjects for additional photos of the project and more.