architourism
a group of historic midcentury beach houses on cape cod have been restored — and they’re now available to rent
by michael s. mcgill
The International Style of architecture emphasized simplicity in design, lack of ornamentation, open interiors and large window walls to merge the inside with the outside — all features, writes Michael McGill, that proved ideal for designing simple and low-cost vacation homes. Some of the most striking summer houses were built on Cape Cod, and now — restored by the Cape Cod Modern House Trust after years of neglect — are available to rent.
When Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design (GSD) was founded in 1936, it recruited Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer as faculty from the Bauhaus school of design in Dessau, Germany, and the the school had a major influence in spreading the gospel of the International Style in the United States. But the faculty and graduates of the GSD not only brought the new style to large, important buildings in urban areas — they also played a major role in developing a vacation destinations, including not far from Harvard itself.
Before joining the Harvard faculty, Walter Gropius assembled the architects, artists, and craftspeople from the Bauhaus who had emigrated to the USA for a vacation on Massachusetts’ Cape Cod to discuss their future in their new country. They were enchanted by the simplicity and beauty of the Cape. At that time, the entire peninsula had a population of only 38,000, half of whom lived in three towns located at either end. Land was heavily wooded, abundant and cheap. The group decided they wanted to vacation there often.
Walter Gropius
Over the next few years they settled in an area roughly in the middle of the peninsula, near the towns of Wellfleet and Truro. Many of the Bauhaus group built on an 800-acre site owned by ‘Brahmin Bohemian’ Jack Phillips, whose family founded Phillips Exeter Academy. Phillips inherited the land when he was 20, studied briefly at GSD, and then invited the group to locate on his land. They selected remote sites often only accessible by dirt roads, overlooking either the ocean or one of the many freshwater ‘kettle’ ponds that were located nearby.
In addition to Breuer, architects Serge Chermayeff and Olav Hammarstrom and engineer Paul Weidlinger all came to the Cape and built houses, while Gropius, Xanti Schawinski, Konrad Wachsmann, Constantino Nivola, the Saarinen family and Florence and Hans Knoll all either rented summer cottages or were frequent houseguests there.
As summer vacation homes, these were often rustic, lacked insulation or central heat, and were made of local materials whenever possible. They sat lightly on or above the land, with minimal foundations, and provided an opportunity to test out new ideas and concepts without risking too much money — Marcel Breuer’s home, for instance, cost $5,000.
While some of these homes were designed by the superstar architects at GSD, others were by local architects and self-taught designers, few of whom were formally trained in the International Style yet embraced it with gusto.
Breuer and the Breuer Home (1949)
One of the most innovative examples is the Hatch House, designed by self-taught Jack Hill (1913-2003) and built for the editor of The Nation magazine. It consisted of three separate wooden cubes, built on a slatted wood platform, with a wooden superstructure overhead. Hinged wooden flaps covered the abundant windows in the house during the winter. In the summer, these flaps were raised to provide a large shaded perimeter around the house. To move from the living/dining area to either bedroom required stepping outside and crossing the deck.
Hatch House (1961), Cape Cod Photo: CCMHT
One of the last architects of this era, Charlie Zehnder (1929-1985) designed 40 homes, more than anyone else in the group. He was influenced not only by the International Style, but also by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, with whom he had dinner one night while studying architecture at the University of Virginia.
By the early 1960s, more than 100 midcentury modern houses had been built. They comprised an informal and very notable colony of artists, architects, writers, actors and academics that gathered together every summer to live the good life, in a mild climate, isolated from the world. One realtor on the Cape describes the environment they created as the “antithesis of the Hamptons,” living a mutually supportive, collegial life rather than trying to outdo one another.
The Kugel | Gips House (1970), architect Charles Zehnder (restoration completed 2009). Contact the Cape Cod Modern House Trust at capemoderntrust@gmail.com to inquire about booking a stay. Photo: CCMHT
Since then, the Cape has changed. In 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected President, bringing national attention and lots of tourists attracted by his family compound in Hyannis Port. In 1961, Congress established the Cape Cod National Seashore, which reduced the amount of land available for continued growth. Nevertheless, the Cape continued to grow, reaching a population of about 230,000 today, which triples during the summer.
Seven of the more notable midcentury modern structures were within the boundaries of the National Seashore. Owners were offered 25-year leases, after which they would have to leave. The National Park Service then abandoned these houses.
In 2007, local preservationists created the Cape Cod Modern House Trust, to lease these homes from NPS and restore them for vacation rentals. Thus far, four have been completed, and the Trust is raising funds to buy and restore the Breuer House. The Trust also serves as an advocate to save as many houses as possible outside of the National Seashore, by bringing public attention to them through tours and articles.
The Weidlinger House. Contact the Cape Cod Modern House Trust at capemoderntrust@gmail.com to inquire about booking a stay. Photo: CCMHT
The Cape Cod Modern House Trust has been remarkably successful, and has brought four important, endangered modernist houses back to life. It runs tours, open houses and residencies, and the houses are also available for rent throughout the summer. Their goal, says the group, “is to extend the usefulness of these buildings in their extraordinary landscapes, to use the buildings and the tradition of free-thinking problem-solvers to nurture new creativity and address contemporary issues.”
Hatch House
Designed in 1960 and restored in 2013, this experimental house is furnished with its original furniture and artwork. It has a panoramic bay view, three bedrooms, one full bathroom plus an outdoor shower. No internet or heat.
Kugel / Gips House
The house hovers above a secluded Northeast Pond (looking across to Great Pond) with no other building in sight. The massive masonry base anchors the broad cantilevering decks and eaves out into the landscape. Three bedrooms, two full bathrooms.
Weidlinger House
Anchored on concrete piers at the higher end of the slope, the house shoots out over stilts of increasing height until it is suspended in midair for a commanding view. Three bedrooms, one full bathroom.
Kohlberg House
The simple but elegant house sits on top one of the highest dunes on the Outer Cape with an expansive view of the Atlantic. The main house lower level has two bedrooms w queen sized beds, a small room w a twin plus a full bath with tub. The main floor has a queen sized bed with a small half bath. These are separated from living room by a heavy curtain.
Kohlberg House Photo: CCMHT
Interested in learning more — or experiencing one of the houses on Cape Cod? Available rental dates go quickly, and 2024 filled up long ago, so start planning now for 2025. More information is available on the Cape Cod Modern House Trust’s website. And if you’re in the area, the Trust holds regular lectures and open houses throughout the year (they’re free, no reservations required).
— Michael S. McGill