Glass House Presents: New Canaan Modern

Join writer and Glass House educator Gwen North Reiss for a free talk about her recent book, New Canaan Modern:  A Preservation History.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, when New Canaan’s historic modern houses were quietly being demolished, preservationists, architects, and other residents who understood their significance, worked together to try to save them. Historic listings, educational programs, a change to the zoning regulations, and several other initiatives helped these houses survive. New Canaan Modern: A Preservation History, recently published by the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society, is a record both for and about the New Canaan community, focusing on its efforts to rescue modern houses and reset the course of their history. 

Reiss wanted to write a book to serve as a resource for other communities seeking to preserve mid-century modern structures. Illustrated with vintage and contemporary architectural photography, the book includes interviews with homeowners who discuss the complex work of restoration and renovation.

Gwen North Reiss began writing articles about New Canaan’s modern houses in 1999. Her work has appeared in DOCOMOMO’s international Journal, The New York Times, Preservation, Connecticut Cottages & Gardens, Connecticut Explored, and other publications. She has a degree in Literature from Yale, and her published work includes poetry as well as writing about art and architecture. A long-time resident of New Canaan, she is the author of a poetry chapbook, Notes on Metals, and a co-author of Oaxacan Folk Art: Response to Covid-19, which was designed and edited by Alan Goldberg and published in collaboration with the Mexican Museum in San Francisco. She is part of the education staff at The Glass House and has conducted oral-history interviews with artists and architects who have close ties to the site. She also serves as a consultant for Silvermine Arts Center. Reiss has participated in the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society’s many projects on modern architecture. 

Photo: Estate of Pedro E. Guerrero