Michael Souter
For years, I loved being part of communities like NeueHouse, Soho House, and Spring Place. They gave me a place to work, meet people, exchange ideas, and feel creatively empowered. In 2018, NeueHouse and Musée Magazine hosted a conversation with Diane von Furstenberg. I was working on the sidelines, but she captivated me. She shared the wisdom of an extraordinary life while making it very clear she was still powerfully moving forward. She spoke about the past, the present, and what was still ahead. It reset my thinking.
Around the same time, I came across a quote from David Hockney: “When I’m working, I feel like Picasso, I feel I’m 30. When I stop I know I’m not.” As a painter myself, I understood exactly what he meant. In the studio, I’m ageless. I love creating, and I feel my experience has only seasoned me. Those two moments kicked me in the ass a little.
Sitting at NeueHouse, I began imagining a different kind of place. A cross generational community where experience and curiosity mattered, where people could continue to create, share what they know, learn from one another, contribute, and be inspired. I imagined people 55+ connecting with younger generations through universities and other cultural and educational institutions, creating a real exchange of experience, knowledge, and new thinking. A place that could be both a club and, eventually, a place to live.
I wanted it to look and feel different too. Not another members’ club, but an environment shaped by intelligent design, hospitality, culture, wellness, and programming. A place that empowers the people who enter it and supports a continuing creative life. Most of all, I wanted to create a place where you never age out. Hence GenHouse.