The most celebrated work of French architect and designer Pierre Chareau, "La Maison de Verre" is revered by experts, acclaimed as an inspiration by many, but until now only glimpsed by a very few. In 1928, Chareau was commissioned to build this private residence in an eighteenth-century Paris courtyard. Dominique Vellay, the granddaughter of his original client, tells here for the first time the story of this extraordinarily inventive house, an embodiment of modern building principles and methods. Its metal framework, glass-brick curtain walls, and sliding partitions and panels have made a remarkable impression on architects and designers worldwide. Francois Halard"s photographs pay homage to the house and its unique architectural features: the interior, bathed in daylight gently diffused by the glass walls; perforated zinc screens that rotate or slide silently on curved rails; exposed steel beams; balconies with paneled bookshelves; open-stepped staircases that...