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| Bremer House by Eliot Noyes 1951. ( Photo All rights reserved by Jörn Schiemann. Used with permission) Inset: Ambassador L. Paul Bremer (courtesy Wiki Commons. Not part of the Jörn Schiemann Bremer House Photo) |
On a "what could it hurt" kind of whim we contacted Ambassador L. Paul Bremer and asked if he could spare a few moments to talk about growing up in the iconic "Bremer House" by Eliot Noyes in New Canaan. Through his assistant the Ambassador was gracious enough to find and set a time for a few moments to talk about his experiences.
The house was built, according to the Modern House Survey done by The Glass House, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, The New Canaan Historical Society and others, in 1951 by Borglum & Meek for Paul and Nina Bremer. He was the president of Christian Dior and she was a lecturer on Art History at University of Bridgeport.
Initially one house with a 24' x24' guest house added in a second smaller version of the main house around 1953, the house was home to the Bremers and their three children. Amb Bremer's school friendship with Robert Graham, and Robert's visits to the Bremer House, led to Eliot Noyes being hired by Graham to built his house in Stamford.
Modisabi: What was it like growing up in the house?"
Amb Bremer: "The bedrooms were really small" he said. "When the guest house was added my brother and I moved out there which was a pretty good arrangement."
Modisabi: What house did the family occupied prior to moving in to what is, in our opinion, one of the most iconic houses built by The Harvard Five in New Canaan.
Amb Bremer: "There were two actually. The first was a house near St. Marks [Episcopal Church on Oenoke Ridge in New Canaan], the second was a colonial on Marvin Ridge [New Canaan]."
Modisabi: How old were you when the house was built, nine-ish?
Amb Bremer: "Nine or so, yes."
Modisabi: Did you have any input on its design or layout?
Amb Bremer: "No, I do recall going to the site with my parents while it was being built."
Modisabi: How was it growing up in the house?
Amb Bremer: "It was interesting."
Modisabi: How did your friends react to the house?
Amb Bremer: "Most didn’t know what to make of it. I don’t think any of my friends from school or university lived in modern houses so their reaction to the house was sort of like, 'what is it?'"
Modisabi: Do you recall hanging out with or the alleged parties of the Harvard Five at the house?
Amb Bremer: "Yes, they were always over. My dad was a good friend of Marcel Breuer, they were martini drinking pals, but they were always around. Noyes, Johnson, Breuer, Johansen were always around. Other non-architects too. Jens Risom, Lee Ault and others were friends of my parents.
Modisabi: Did you go to any of their houses?
Amb Bremer: "Yes, my brother and I were friends of Eli and Fred Noyes. We were over there a lot."
Modisabi: Do you live in a modern now?
Amb Bremer: "No, a 1930’s Fieldstone house in Maryland."
Modisabi: How did growing up in the house affect your outlook on life if at all?
Amb Bremer: "That’s a tough question, I am kind of an iconoclast and I think that growing up in a house that was different may have played a role in developing that."
Our thanks to the Ambassador for his time and insight.
