48 WILLOW PLACE

48 Willow Place 1965
48 Willow Place floor plan

Original floorplan

The Merz’s and the Willow Place Houses

Joe and Mary Merz

The Merz’s, who met at Pratt Institute, both graduates of Edward Larrabee Barnes’ architectural office, were just setting up their own practice in their carriage house home on Grace Court. 

The property, known as the Joseph and Mary Merz Residence, is located in the Willowtown section of the Brooklyn Heights Historic District. Designed in 1965 - the same year the community became New York City’s first historic district - the home is one of three properties on Willow Place designed by the noted couple who were fixtures in the New York design community and fought to get the community designated.

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Paul Rudolph Institute for Modern Architecture supports effort to preserve Modernist home in Brooklyn

Why This Matters
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48 Willow Place

  • "The exterior composition reflects the couple’s ideas about modern architecture and how to gracefully handle light and privacy in a modern home. It is also significant as one of the few single-family structures from the era in Brooklyn."

    — Kelvin Dickinson,

    President, Paul Rudolph Institute For Modern Architecture

  • "These buildings, created by artists/architects of the highest order, are consummate masterworks, fully complete exactly as they are and neither needing nor tolerating any additions or embellishments. The Merz homes are three such examples, and it was comforting to think they were probably protected, based on your wise decision 20 years ago regarding No. 40. "

    - Erika Pfammatter

    Granddaughter of Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus School of Design

  • "As a Chinese student and designer, my country has lost countless irreplaceable buildings to war and human-made destruction. Because of that history, it feels especially painful, and deeply absurd, to witness the voluntary erasure of such an extraordinary piece of cultural heritage here."

    - Jill Zhang

    Pratt Alumina, School of Design, MFA

  • “The Merz's design reflects a community-minded moment of neighborhood regeneration and community involvement. This is an important part of NYC's and Brooklyn's history. ”

    - Oona Stern, Designer

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