philip johnson's early modernist lake house is now on sale in willsboro, new york

Philip Johnson’s Paine House is listed for sale

Perched on the western shores of Lake Champlain in the Adirondacks, Philip Johnson’s early modernist house, named the ‘Paine House’, is now listed for sale at a whopping $3,500,000. Designed by the American architect and his partner Landis Gore, the dwelling remains in its purest state to this day. Drawing inspiration from Mies’s Resor House, it is dressed in massive glass walls, enjoying stunning flow-through panoramas of the lush landscape and the shimmering lake reflections.

Nestled among cypresses on around 20 acres of waterfront, this secluded home was built in 1949, at the same time as Philip Johnson’s iconic ‘Glass House’ in New Canaan, and is the fourth of his glass house-style residences to be constructed.

all images by Covered Bridge Realty

stepping inside the modernist lakeside dwelling

Philip Johnson gave great emphasis to the light expression and the flowing of spaces through a sensitive design with pass-through views. The 3,800 sq ft (350,000 sqm) residence features two rectangular buildings linked by an open-air walkway. The first structure is the main home, unfolding a large open living area with the fireplace set ‘to appear like it’s floating in a wall of glass’.

Thanks to the large floor-to-ceiling openings, the interior spaces are surrendered into stunning vistas. Furthermore, this wing also hosts a large chef’s kitchen, two bedrooms with large glazed openings, and two full bathrooms positioned on opposite ends. On the other hand, the summer wing is conceived to host visitors and accommodates four full bathrooms and six additional bedrooms that enjoy views of the surrounding scenery.

Paine House features a pair of rectangular structures linked by a walkway

Photos of the interior have not been made available for publication before the listing (scroll down to find out more about the inside of this dwelling). The beautifully-sited property is listed by Covered Bridge Realty at an asking price of $3,500,000.

For the listing, the current owners revamped the kitchen but retained original features, such as soapstone and steel sinks. Also, they added a new membrane roof and extensive stone retaining walls. Meanwhile, in 2006 the property saw an additional structure that follows the same design language, offering boat storage and a large game room. The property comes with a floating dock system and boat launch ramp.

floor-to-ceiling glass panels frame stunning views of the lake