This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

The Big Deal | Christ-Janer House

A chance stop in town brought Victor Christ-Janer to New Canaan — a famed architect (and humanitarian) who became part of the first wave of Moderns.

The Offering, SOLD • Listed by Anthony Ardino of William Raveis Real Estate in January of last year, this 5,365 square foot Modern traded at $1,850,000. A total of 17 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 5 baths with a guest cottage and studio, this architecturally distinct home is sited perfectly on 4.87 park like acres of rolling lawns and specimen plantings. A spectacular use of glass, stone and wood establish intended unity with the surrounding nature from every vantage point - what a rare opportunity was had.

The Architect • Victor Christ-Janer was born in Minnesota, in 1915. He received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Yale School of Architecture in 1947. Shortly after receiving his degree, he established the architectural firm Victor Christ-Janer & Associates in New Canaan and became part of the first wave of Modern architects living and working in town during the post-war period.

In August 1948, Christ-Janer and his wife Elizabeth purchased a lot in New Canaan, and constructed the Christ-Janer House between 1949 and 1952. Christ-Janer designed several houses in New Canaan along with Walter Stewart's Market in 1955, the New Canaan Senior High School in 1958, and the New Canaan Post Office in 1958. Victor Christ-Janer died in 2008 at his home on Frogtown Road. He was 92 years old.

Find out what's happening in New Canaanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Property & The Build • Christ-Janer House was designed by the architect for his family. Christ-Janer moved to New Canaan in the late 1940s after stopping in town by chance when his car broke down on the way to New York City from New Haven. While he and his wife were driving around trying to find the highway, his wife saw a piece of land on Frogtown Road where she decided she wanted to live. A week later, in August 1948, the Christ-Janers purchased the property, and The Christ-Janer House was completed between 1949 and 1952.

The Man • There is no doubt that Christ-Janer helped transform New Canaan from a New England town of traditional Colonial-style homes into an incubator for distinctive Modernist dwellings.

Find out what's happening in New Canaanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Equally important perhaps was his role as a champion of the needy. He adopted an entire family in Mexico, built a house for them there and supported the education of the children. He also lived with this family for extended periods of time and their children often came to New Canaan to stay with him. 

Christ-Janer, always preoccupied by what he held to be issues of ethics, was an intellectual who loved to expound on his existentialism to all who would listen. He felt deeply that "each individual is defined by unique life experiences and was endowed with freedoms of choice that entail inevitable responsibility for the consequences of the choices made."

The Scoop  •  This offering was an historically important Modernist home with over 5,000 square feet on 4.87 pastoral acres, in a WALK-TO-TOWN location ... not too many offerings come to market holding those attributes and specifications!

Sources: FLEX MLS, National Trust for Historic Preservation '09, New York Times

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?