Home encompasses influences of Frank Lloyd Wright, Lewis Mumford and former United States President Woodrow Wilson
Darien, Conn. – August 20, 2015 – William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty announced today that the firm has listed an international-style modern home designed by renowned architect Arthur Holden. Holden was a student under former US President Woodrow Wilson when Wilson was president of Princeton University, as well as a friend and admirer of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and architectural researcher and writer Lewis Mumford. His work was inspired by these and other noteworthy figures throughout his career, with the construction of this house being no exception. New Canaan agent Inger Stringfellow has the listing, which is located in Darien, Conn., and offered at $2,895,000.
Arthur Holden graduated from Princeton in the class of 1912 with a degree in literature, eventually going on to Columbia for a Bachelor of Architecture and a master’s in economics. His initial interest in housing was sparked by Wilson, who encouraged college graduates to become involved in social service. A few years after joining the National Guard in 1916, where he served for a year, Holden began his own private practice, eventually partnering with architect Robert McLaughlin, who later served as the director of the Princeton School of Architecture. With Holden’s social and financial interest in housing and McLaughlin’s expertise in prefabrication, their work together was both unique and effective. Throughout his career, Holden’s most famous influences came from his admiration for the architectural understanding present in the written works of Lewis Mumford, as well as his strong friendship with modernist Frank Lloyd Wright.
27 Tory Hole Road is one of many creations designed by Holden. Located on 5.47 acres of land in the prestigious Darien neighborhood of Delafield Island, the 4,035 square-foot modern residence contains a thoughtfully crafted design that takes full advantage of the property’s unusual site, where the house sits high, perched atop a hill and approached by a long, winding driveway. Holden strategically built the home with a curving façade to naturally fit the contours of its natural surroundings. Its curved walls outline the property’s lawn and perennial beds, and continue on in the interior, allowing for extensive panoramic views while capturing the natural light of the great outdoors.
Inside the three-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home, a free open space dominates, with the absence of parallel walls and doors adding fluidity to the interior floor plan. This unique design, in addition to a grand curved staircase, is reminiscent of the structure of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, a contemporary art museum in New York City. Access to various exterior spaces including slate floors, a flagstone terrace overlooking extensive gardens, lawns and mature trees, as well as a master bedroom balcony complete this open-air atmosphere. The master bedroom is in its own wing and additionally features a fireplace, dressing room and office. The secondary bedrooms down the hall are all ensuite.
“There appears to be no barrier between the interior and exterior of this fabulously designed home,” said Stringfellow. “When you walk through its spacious, airy rooms, it is interesting to find that they lead you from the elegant living room to the dining room, a large eat-in kitchen and eventually out to the main vestibule again, where a curved staircase leads to the second level. It is almost as if the house guides you. I am thrilled to be representing a home that embodies so much unique thought and architectural planning.”
Although situated in a secluded setting, the property is located conveniently near the train, beaches and other town offerings.
For more information on 27 Tory Hole Road, please visit the firm’s website here.
About William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty
Founded in 1949, William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty manages a $3.3-billion-plus portfolio with more than 1,000 sales associates in 26 brokerages spanning Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Westchester County, New York. William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty is the largest Sotheby’s International Realty(R) affiliate globally and the 28th-largest real estate company by sales volume in the United States. A full-service real estate firm headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty provides ancillary services including commercial services through its affiliation with Building and Land Technology, a second-generation development company based in Stamford, Connecticut; William Pitt Insurance Services; and an award-winning global relocation division. For more information, visit the website at williampitt.com.
Sotheby’s International Realty’s worldwide network includes approximately 17,000 sales associates located in approximately 800 offices throughout 61 countries and territories.
William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty Contact:
Inger Stringfellow
Real Estate Agent
203.321.9361