Looking back over the various events that Wallpaper* staged in 2015, a few (well, most) stood out as particularly memorable. Back in June, and in an example of superlatively elegant party planning, we gathered a select group of friends at two talismanic modern houses to toast the landmark redevelopment of London's Centre Point by Conran & Partners and Almacantar. The two intimate dinners took place at Philip Johnson's Glass House in Connecticut and Pierre Koenig's Case Study House #21 in Los Angeles, accompanied by exquisite meals by The Schoolhouse at Cannondale and Lucques, respectively.
Among our VIP crew were gallerist Marian Goodman, jewellery designer Monique Péan, Bassam Fellows' Craig Bassam and Scott Fellows, and artists Tom Sachs and Laurie Simmons. LA guests included Tom of Finland Foundation president Durk Dehner, interior designer Kelly Wearstler, photographer Matthias Vriens-McGrath, and artists Sam Durant and Ana Prvacki. Presiding over both occasions were Conran & Partners managing director Tim Bowder-Ridger and Wallpaper* Editor-in-Chief Tony Chambers.
Koenig's Case Study House #21, otherwise known as the Bailey House, was completed in 1958. Best known for the 'moat' of pools surrounding the structure and glass exterior walls, the house is widely recognised as the finest example of the architect's Case Study series of builds.
Johnson's Glass House - built between 1949 and 1995 in a bucolic 49 acres in New Canaan, a community eight miles northeast of Stamford - hosted one of the intimate gatherings.
The building is a landmark in modern minimalist architecture, that drew heavily on Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House for inspiration
Jewellery designer Monique Péan, Vice President of Creative Studio at Calvin Klein Jean McCartney, head of special projects at Josef and Anni Albers Foundation Lucy Swift Weber.
Artist Tom Sachs and Gagosian gallery art dealer Sarah Hoover.
Conran & Partners managing director Tim Bowder-Ridger, Almacantar development director Kathrin Hersel, Wallpaper* Editor-in-Chief Tony Chambers and Almacantar marketing director Ray Smith.
Gallerist Marian Goodman.
Designers Craig Bassam and Scott Fellows of Bassam Fellows with Maharam editorial director Dung Ngo.
Artist Laurie Simmons.
Marian Goodman Gallery director of communications Linda Pellegrini, gallerist Marian Goodman and Wallpaper* creative director Sarah Douglas.
Wallpaper* Editor-in-Chief Tony Chambers and Conran & Partners managing director Tim Bowder-Ridger.
Sarah Walker, artist Julian Rapp and director at USB Investment Bank Carolyn Chen.
Guests making their way from the drinks reception at the Glass house..
... to the estate's Painting Gallery where dinner was served.
Johnson designed the Painting Gallery to house the array of large-scale modern paintings he and partner David Whitney had collected through their lives.
The exquisite dinner was provided by The Schoolhouse at Cannondale
The restaurant serves modern American food with a focus on local ingredients
Wallpaper* creative director Sarah Douglas, Conran & Partners managing director Tim Bowder-Ridger, Marian Goodman and Wallpaper* US editor Michael Reynolds.
Craig Bassam, Kathrin Hersel, Wallpaper* Editor-in-Chief Tony Chambers and artist Laurie Simmons.
Four Seasons Restaurant managing partner Alex von Bidder, Scott Fellows, Sarah Hoover, Tom Sachs and Tim Bowder-Ridger.
Wallpaper* publisher Malcolm Young, actress Grace Dunham and Thomas Levine.
The second dinner was held at Pierre Koenig's lauded Case Study House #21 in Los Angeles.
The building – otherwise known as the Bailey House – was completed in 1958.
Best known for the 'moat' of pools surrounding the structure and glass exterior walls, the house is widely recognised as the finest example of the architect's Case Study series of builds.
Rare Properties CEO Kennon Earl, Kathrin Hersel and Conran & Partners managing director Tim Bowder-Ridger.
Left: Wallpaper* Editor-in-Chief Tony Chambers with Tom of Finland Foundation president Durk Dehner. Right: Laurie Resnick, TWINART co-founder Lynda Kahn, photographer Matthias Vriens-McGrath and Donovan Vriens-McGrath.
Gallery Seomi managing director Linus Adolfsson and Morgan Stanley senior VP of wealth management Warren Cohn.
Left: architect Sharon Johnston and artist Ana Prvacki. Right: artist Alma Allen.
Artist Sam Durant and Gallery Seomi co-founder Jacob Koo.
Photographer Matthias Vriens-McGrath and Wallpaper* US editor Michael Reynolds.
Case Study House #21 is considered as being manifest of 'some of the cleanest and most immaculate thinking in the development of the small contemporary house'.
Dinner this time was supplied by the upmarket Lucques restaurant in West Hollywood.
The legendary home's minimal, clean lines accommodated a sumptuous meal of burrata and piste salad, harissa-grilled chicken and a berry and lemon mascarpone fusion desert.
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