Lescaze House Architectural Model

This architectural object is inspired by Lescaze House, widely regarded as the first International Style residence in New York City.

Designed by William Lescaze and completed in 1934, the house marked a radical departure from the historicist language of Manhattan’s townhouse streets. Its abstract façade, new materials, and emphasis on light made it a manifesto for modern domestic architecture in the United States.

Read the full Lescaze House architecture guide

 

Early American modernism, distilled into form

 

Lescaze House is defined not by ornament or scale, but by abstraction and intent. Flat surfaces, asymmetrical openings, and glass block elements replace traditional decoration, transforming a conventional townhouse into a statement of modern architectural thinking.

This architectural model focuses on the elements that define the house’s identity:

• abstract façade composition

• disciplined modernist proportions

• the contrast between solid surface and void

Reduced to object form, these qualities allow the architectural ideas behind the house to be read with clarity and precision.

 

Why Lescaze House works as an architectural model

 

Lescaze House translates especially well into an architectural object because its design is driven by:

• composition rather than detail

• surface and volume rather than ornament

• architectural principle rather than spectacle

At reduced scale, the house reads as a pure modernist composition — a study in how early modern architecture asserted itself through restraint, clarity, and conviction.

Rather than functioning as a literal miniature, this object captures the architectural essence of Lescaze House.

 

Craft, materials, and finish

 

Each Lescaze House object is crafted with an emphasis on precision and restraint. The finish is intentionally minimal, allowing proportion, massing, and surface to define the piece — echoing the architectural values of the original house.

The result is an object that sits naturally within:

• architectural and design studios

• bookshelves and workspaces

• interiors with an interest in modernist design and history

It appeals to architects, designers, and collectors drawn to foundational works of twentieth-century architecture.

 

An object shaped by architectural conviction

 

Lescaze House represents a moment when modernism entered the American home not cautiously, but decisively. Inserted into a traditional urban street, it announced a new way of thinking about domestic architecture.

As an object, the house becomes a compact record of that moment — modernism expressed through form, light, and abstraction.

 

Product details

 

• Subject: Lescaze House, New York City, USA

• Architect: William Lescaze

• Architectural style: International Style / Early Modernism

• Original completion: 1934

• Format: Freestanding architectural object

• Designed and made by: Chisel & Mouse

 

Learn more about Lescaze House

For a detailed exploration of the house’s architecture, historical context, materials, and role in American modernism, see our in-depth guide:

Lescaze House Architecture: America’s First International Style Townhouse