A Glass House in Upstate New York Welcomes a Moody Standalone Studio

Designed by General Assembly, the converted barn provides a cozy counterpoint to its transparent neighbor.

Jun 15, 2022 - 20:00

A Glass House in Upstate New York Welcomes a Moody Standalone Studio

The lower level contains a dining area, kitchenette, and single bedroom. The double-height space feels like an atrium upon entry, with a sculptural Noguchi light fixture drawing the eye upwards and a vintage dining table by Adam Martini grounding the room.

When a young New York family moved upstate into a modernist glass house built in 1969, they wanted to turn the home’s sister structure—a converted barn with foundations dating from the 1700s—into a flexible live/work studio for visitors and at-home working. Brooklyn-based firm General Assembly embraced the 800-square-foot building’s layered history, creating a cozy, inward-focused space to contrast the airy transparency of the main home.

The original owners of the 1969 glass house had converted an existing barn on site into an art studio. The new homeowners wanted to update it to function as a guest house and at-home work studio. — The original owners of the 1969 glass house had converted an existing on-site barn into an art studio. The new homeowners wanted to update it to function as a guesthouse and workspace.
Photo: Chris Mottalini

The main house was designed by architect Robert Fitzpatrick, and the original owners called it "their Philip Johnson home" when it was completed in 1969. Just steps from the glass house, the historic single-story barn had been updated by the previous owners, who added a second story and converted it into an art studio. "It was a working studio space, with remnants of the original owner’s art practice all around," says designer Sarah Zames, who completed the renovation with her General Assembly partner Colin Stief.