By John Kriz
October4Design (https://october4design.org , a “celebration of architecture, art, design and the community where it happens,” is underway. A joint effort by the Town of New Canaan, New Canaan Chamber of Commerce and various local charities, under the leadership of the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society, October4Design features a range of events that highlight “New Canaan’s diverse creative community” and provide “a peek into what gives this town its distinct character.”
A signature event this year is the biennial Modern House Day Tour, which “celebrates the incredible art, architecture and design, and the community in New Canaan that both supports it and creates it,” said Nancy Geary, the Historical Society’s executive director. This year’s house tour includes homes by Philip Johnson, John Johansen, Bremer Kehm, as well as a newly-built residence that reflects mid-century ideals. The tour also includes a symposium that explores the evolution and enduring influence of mid-century modernism.
Reflective of its popularity, this event quickly sold out, and people are already inquiring about securing tickets for 2027.
“New Canaan has a unique history of innovative art and architecture in its community, and October4Design is the chance to continue with that history, and how it inspires the present and the future,” concludes Ms. Geary.
The diverse schedule of events, which can be found on the October4Design website, includes:
• Onera Foundation Inaugural Exhibition: Treatises on De-Fences by Jorge Otero-Pailos.
This event “explores the preservation of Eero Saarinen’s Cold War-era U.S. Embassy in Oslo and celebrates New Canaan’s modernist architects’ contributions to the US Embassy Program.”
• The Bard at Bristow – A Shakespearean Immersive Stroll.
Led by The Summer Theatre of New Canaan, “this one-day, family-friendly theatrical experience will take place at the Bristow Bird Sanctuary and combine live professional Shakespearean performances, madrigal music, and the beauty of Bristow’s natural and restored landscape.”
• “Modernism, Inc.,” The Eliot Noyes Design Story.
This film at New Canaan Playhouse reviews the works of Mr. Noyes, one of the ‘Harvard Five’ architects, and will be hosted by Mr. Noyes’ son, architect Frederick Noyes, FAIA, with a discussion period.
• Grace Farms 10 Year Afternoon Celebration.
This event celebrates “a transformative Decade of Grace and Peace at Grace Farms with music commemorating the moment from world-renowned musicians.”
• SCAPE: Toward an Urban Ecology.
Kate Orff, FASLA and founder of SCAPE, a landscape architecture and urban design practice, will speak at New Canaan Library on SCAPE’s ethos and working method, and describe some of SCAPE’s signature work.
• Matisse at War: Art and Resistance in Nazi Occupied France.
At New Canaan Library, this is the “untold history of when Henri Matisse and his family refused to evacuate Nazi-occupied France, their roles in the Resistance, the revolutionary work the artist produced in that time, and how fascism and war permeated French life and culture during WWII.”
• Meet Author and Illustrator Chris Van Dusen, Creator of the ‘If I Built’ Series.
At the New Canaan Library, this event will “celebrate the 20th anniversary of the If I Built series and the launch of If I Built a Town with renowned author and illustrator Chris Van Dusen. Includes building-inspired crafts for kids to enjoy.”
• US Modernist Jazz Brunch at the 1954 Ford House and Gardens.
“Join George Smart of US Modernist for a fabulous brunch in the 1954 Ford House. On the National Register, this house has never before been open to the public. Come explore the house and grounds and share conversation with other modernist enthusiasts.”
• The Structure of Light: Richard Kelly’s collaborations with Philip Johnson and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe with architectural historian Dietrich Neumann.
At New Canaan Library, “on the occasion of the re-issue of the iconic floor lamp that Richard Kelly and Philip Johnson designed in 1953 for The Glass House by the New Canaan-based firm of BassamFellows, architectural historian Dietrich Neumann will explore Richard Kelly’s design philosophy and his collaborations with Philip Johnson and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe at the Glass House, the Lake Shore Drive Apartments, and the Seagram Building.”
• AN AMERICAN VERSAILLES Exhibit.
“The New Canaan Museum’s fall exhibition in the Susan Schimmele Gallery, curated by Natalie Morath, contains a selection of photographs, furniture, objects, sculpture, and video from the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, MI, a sprawling campus designed by Eero Saarinen that Look magazine called, ‘An American Versailles.’ See Saarinen’s innovative vision and collaboration with artists, including Alexander Calder. This exhibition has been brought to New Canaan by General Motors.”
• The Harvard Five Legacy: From Modern Homes to Diplomatic Landmarks.
“Presented by the Onera Foundation in collaboration with The Glass House, the evening’s conversation will explore the profound influence of the Harvard Five—particularly Marcel Breuer and John Johansen—tracing their evolution from designing experimental modern homes in New Canaan to creating visionary U.S. embassies during the Cold War.”
Plus much more. Some events require a fee, and pre-registration.
