534 Glenn Road
1957
Jacob and Thelma Kaufman
Jacob Kaufman was a professor at Penn State. Nothing is known about the couple's relationship with Hajjar or their requirements for the house. The design follows his classic arrangement of a shoebox connected with a breezeway to a garage. Here, however, the usual breezeway is enclosed to form a foyer.
Mature evergreens now hide much of the house from the Glenn Road view. The garage is perpendicular to the house and the house is behind and to the left. The house therefore now looks deceivingly small from the front. Compare this to the following side and rear views of the house.
Upper windows are to two bedrooms in a typical Hajjar arrangement. The lower level door is to the dining room, which also has windows to the rear garden. The galley kitchen is to the front of the dining room with low, street-facing windows.
The rear of the house is symmetrical. End rooms are partially sunken, while the center ground-level room exits to a covered patio. The patio roof extends the roof line of the main house. In addition to a ground level room, there is a balcony room in the central area, also with views to the rear garden.
The main entrance is located to the rear of the garage in what would also often contain an open breezeway. The lot did not allow for this extension of the garage, and the whole area was used for the foyer. The whole front of the entryway is glass and stairs to the left lead to the living areas.
The walkway to the main entrance is to the left of the garage and it is sheltered with a large roof overhang. For owners, passage is also provided from the garage into the entryway. The horizontal windows to the left are to the kitchen.
All rooms in the house have a "focused" view. In the music room, the eye is directed to the rear garden when one takes a break from the keyboard.
The upper level in the center of the house is a balcony room, here used as a home office. Again, during work breaks the eye is focused to the rear garden.
In most Hajjar homes, the stairs descend behind a living area fireplace. On this uphill lot, the entry stairs rise behind the fireplace. Instead of an interior window, a notch provides a spot to display objets d'art. Built-in bookcases line the far wall.
While the lot is rather narrow, plantings combine with the house orientation to provide privacy.
The kitchen is galley style along the north street side of the house. While the windows light the counter tops and provide some general light, they are not functional for outside viewing. In other houses with kitchen seating, the windows are wonderful while having a snack or a meal.
The dining room has a built-in buffet under a row of windows facing the rear garden. Note the period light fixtures.
At the stair landing from the lower to the upper level is a low closet for storage. While a bit inconvenient to use, the storage is highly welcome.
