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Connecticut Home Designed by Marcel Breuer Hits the Market for $3.8 Million

The Litchfield house was designed by the Bauhaus architect in the late 1950s

By Haley Chouinard
Mid-century modern living room with geometric fireplace, leather chairs, large windows, and a patterned rug.
A house designed by Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer has listed for $3.8 million. Photo: Sotheby's International Realty

A Connecticut home designed by legendary Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer has hit the market for $3.8 million.

Called Gagarin I, the Litchfield house was completed in 1957 and has been “meticulously restored and upgraded with great care and sensitivity toward its origins,” per the listing. Located roughly an hour-and-a-half drive from Manhattan, the three-bedroom residence sits on a 1.7 acres that includes a reflecting pool and expansive lawn.

The hillside home was designed with multiple terraces, courtyards, and even an interior greenhouse that forms an integral part of the living room. The main level comprises an immense glass-walled living room connected to a bluestone-paved terrace equipped with areas for dancing and dining. Featuring Breuer’s signature bush-hammered concrete fireplace, the main living space is organized as an open plan, featuring the living room, dining area, and kitchen. Another Breuer signature—a floating staircase—links the two levels.

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The dwelling retains many of the architect’s original details and fixtures, including the sizable glass sliders on Torx bearings, bathroom sinks, skylights, and other built-ins. A catalog of over 900 letters, drawings, photographs, and other materials related to Gagarin I are available at the Marcel Breuer Digital Archive at Syracuse University.

The house is listed with Madonna & Phillips Group at Sotheby’s International Realty.

Modern house with glass facade surrounded by trees and a large lawn on a clear day.
Called Gagarin I, the house is in Litchfield. Sotheby's International Realty

Modern glass and stone house with large yard, surrounded by trees, featuring a reflecting pool on a sunny day.
The front and rear of the home are marked by sun-shading overhangs. Sotheby's International Realty

Modern house with stone wall overlooking a rectangular pool and grassy landscape with trees in the background.
The house sits on 1.7 acres of land. Sotheby's International Realty

Modern house with stone wall, metal stairs, and large pool in the foreground, surrounded by trees and lawn.
The backyard features a reflecting pool. Sotheby's International Realty

Modern living room with mid-century furniture, central fireplace, large windows, patterned rug, and wooden ceiling.
The main living space features Breuer’s signature bush-hammered concrete fireplace. Sotheby's International Realty

Modern living room with large windows, contemporary furniture, wooden flooring, and a view of trees outside.
As with all Breuer-architected homes, the living and dining areas act as one expansive space. Sotheby's International Realty

Modern kitchen and dining area with wooden table, blue accent wall, and shelves with dishes under warm lighting.
The kitchen sits just past the joint living and dining spaces. Sotheby's International Realty

Modern kitchen with colorful cabinets, blue backsplash, and a wooden dining table with white chairs.
The kitchen is decorated in bold primary colors. Sotheby's International Realty

Modern bedroom with large windows, stone accent wall, white brick fireplace, and colorful rug on wooden floor.
A downstairs bedroom leads to a terrace. Sotheby's International Realty

Spacious sunroom with colorful modular seating, wooden floor, large windows offering a scenic outdoor view, and a telescope.
A second living space looks out over the Connecticut countryside. Sotheby's International Realty

Interior of a modern room with wooden shelves, a unique white partition, and brick flooring.
Breuer’s signature floating staircase, with its parapet of abstract geometric cut­outs, leads you downstairs. Sotheby's International Realty