Bauhaus-Inspired Residence

Cohen House, designed originally for a famed Harvard University science professor, is our team’s second opportunity to update the work of F. Frederick Bruck (1921–1997). Bruck, a German émigré, studied at Harvard with Walter Gropius and established his own practice in Cambridge.

This 1962 Bauhaus-inspired house in Cambridge finds beauty in the simplicity, and challenged Bruck to create a simple, economic version of its West Cambridge counterpart, the Steinert House. This home has strong verticality in the exterior with floor to ceiling windows. An archway portal brings you into the double-height foyer and an open staircase brings light in.

Bruck’s design creates visual destinations throughout the space, unspoken gestures that indicate where the onlooker should look and how to move through the space. Our work takes inspiration from this idea, while clarifying the flow between spaces, and restoring key details, such as the indoor-outdoor connection. Improvements to the interior include adding a solarium, replacing windows, tilework, and updated millwork, including a Brutalist-inspired bar.