New York architect Thomas Phifer had quite a project on his hands when he rebuilt Bunty and Tom Armstrong’s house on Fisher Island. Their 1926 clapboard home was destroyed in a fire and the Armstrongs wanted to rebuild something different in its place. The home’s landscaping, which had beautifully matured with apple trees and serpentine paths, had survived and he hoped to incorporate some of the garden into their home.
“I got it into my head,” he continues, “that I wanted to live in the garden with my art. I wanted a steel-and-glass house so I could witness the landscape as I viewed the art. I replaced the natural history prints lost in the fire with a collection of midcentury abstract art. I had wanted to be an artist and have enormous admiration for people who succeeded and pursued their talent.”
Architectural Digest is featuring the Armstrongs’ new home in their October issue, but we wanted to share with you some of the photos of this Fisher Island home.