While the impracticalities of life in a glass box rendered the Farnsworth House an unlikely model for the mainstream housing market, the concept fascinated many architects. In 1949 Philip Johnson (b. 1906) began work on his own residence in New Canaan, Connecticut. In some ways, the Farnsworth and Johnson houses studies in contrast. Painted white and lifted off the ground on eight steel I-beams, the Farnsworth House appears to float serenely over its grassy site. Johnson’s Glass House, in contrast, rests firmly on the ground. The black steel frame and brick cylinder containing a fireplace and bathroom define the volume and anchor the composition in a manner different from Mies’s more ethereal design. But Johnson conceived of his house as the centerpiece of a large estate; rather than possessing the self-contained quality of the Farnsworth House, Johnson House is meant to be seen as part of an ensemble of buildings that grew over the years to include a solid-brick guest house, lake pavilion, and galleries to display Johnson’s extensive collection of painting and sculpture.

Philip Johnson is a critical figure in any account of twentieth-century architecture. Along with Henry Russell Hitchcock, he organized the Museum of Modern Art’s influential “International Style” exhibition in 1932 and worked tirelessly to promote the cause of modern architecture. In the late 1940s, he studied architecture under Walter Gropius at Harvard and with his New Canaan residence he launched a very successful career as a professional architect. In addition to his own significant body of work, Johnson became one of the most powerful figures in the American architectural community. His extensive network of personal connections with corporate, educational, and political leaders allowed him to promote emerging talent, validate new directions in architecture, and influence design discourse.