Collection by Zach Edelson
Stunning Modern Homes from Alexander Gorlin
In our February issue, on newsstands now, we detailed how architect Alexander Gorlin was revamping Eero Saarinen's masterpiece Bell Labs (now Bell Works). Here we take a peek at some of Gorlin's residential projects, which range from the Nova Scotia coast to the Rocky Mountains.
To see more of Gorlin's work, visit his website here.
Starphire glass lets the sun illuminate the house, which is composed of a series of interconnected two story pavilions. Each pavilion houses a different function—such as the living room here—and has its own unique orientation towards the landscape. Local designer Ray Frizzell selected furniture primarily a neutral palette to reflect the rocky landscape.
This 2004 town house may be the Second City's bachelor pad to end all bachelor pads. It's really a glass cube within a glass cube: on the exterior, one enormous glass volume cantilevers from the main building. A second interior volume, which containts the master bedroom and bathroom, stands over the kitchen, dining room, and living room.
In the living room, the sofa is from Zanotta, the chair and ottoman are from Herman Miller, and the floor lamp is from Palluco. The sink fittings are from Dornbracht.
Located in Genesee, Colorado, this 2001 project's ample use of stone was inspired by the Native American architecture of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. Surrounded by ponderosa pine trees, the home takes a cruciform shape to fit into the landscape: one wing runs up and down the hill and the other runs across its horizontal contours. The former is capped by a tower and features a great room at its base; the latter houses smaller private rooms.
The home's near-continuous glass walls make for a truly immersive experience.
This 2008 family residence actually began with a 1784 stone house, seen at the right. Located in the Catskills Mountains, the new pavilions spread out to one side to minimize their impact on the centuries-old structure. Their red hues are an intentional reference to the property's vernacular farm buildings.
Original oak beams, revealed as part of the renovation, stretch across the interior of the renovated 1784 structure.
In one bastion of traditional architecture—the Hamptons—this home stands out. Sitting atop a hill, it faces the ocean on one side and the beach on the other. Gorlin gave each elevation a distinct facade. Seen here is the ocean-facing side, with a zinc-clad cantilever shading a sprawling outdoor patio.
The bay-facing facade, which is also the home's entrance, is clad in African teak and limestone.