This house was designed by the Swiss-born architect Albert Frey for his friend A. Lawrence Kocher, being located in Northport, Suffolk County, New York. It was based in a previous project made by him for an experimental weekend house. The house had three floors: the ground floor was used to park up to two cars, being free and open due to the use of steel beams to support the house. The first floor was accessed by a spiral staircase on the back of the house and had an open space configuration at its interior, with curtains that moved through a rail system and could be used to divide the space. The top floor was the house’s rooftop, being accessed by the same spiral staircase as the first floor.
As the name indicates, this house was made of canvas. Marine canvas was stretched horizontally over a redwood frame, insulated with aluminum foil, and nailed, painted & sealed. The house had to be resealed every three years. From the information I could gather online, it seems that the house stood until the 1950s, when it was demolished to give way for a housing project.
A funny fact: in a town I see a lot of houses like this one, when I ask why they build second floor and let the first floor empty, they explain me that when you build an house without licence, they (the state) cant destroy it if you have a bed and a roof, so they starts from second floor, so in the next future they complete the first. It is illegal but funny.
joaoslr says
This house was designed by the Swiss-born architect Albert Frey for his friend A. Lawrence Kocher, being located in Northport, Suffolk County, New York. It was based in a previous project made by him for an experimental weekend house. The house had three floors: the ground floor was used to park up to two cars, being free and open due to the use of steel beams to support the house. The first floor was accessed by a spiral staircase on the back of the house and had an open space configuration at its interior, with curtains that moved through a rail system and could be used to divide the space. The top floor was the house’s rooftop, being accessed by the same spiral staircase as the first floor.
As the name indicates, this house was made of canvas. Marine canvas was stretched horizontally over a redwood frame, insulated with aluminum foil, and nailed, painted & sealed. The house had to be resealed every three years. From the information I could gather online, it seems that the house stood until the 1950s, when it was demolished to give way for a housing project.
Photo source
Crossposted from /r/ModernistArchitecture
accountnummer9 says
It’s like a miniature version of the Villa Savoye
Darryl_Lict says
Clearly built in an area without earthquakes.
yudoit says
A funny fact: in a town I see a lot of houses like this one, when I ask why they build second floor and let the first floor empty, they explain me that when you build an house without licence, they (the state) cant destroy it if you have a bed and a roof, so they starts from second floor, so in the next future they complete the first. It is illegal but funny.
justausername69 says
Badass
Hell_Camino says
Demolished? Or simply packed up?