HomeMy WebLinkAboutSD-239A FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
BUILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM
UNIQUE SITE NO. l03�a .U26 757
DIVISION FOR HISTORIC' PRESERVATION QUAD SD 239a
NEW YORK STATE PARKS AND RECREATION SERIES
ALBANY,NEW YORK f S1 ti►474-0479 NEG. NO.
YOUR NAME: Town of Southold/SPLA_ DATE:April 198'
YOUR ADDRESS: Town Hall, Main Road TELEPHONE: ( 516) 265-1822
Southold L. I. , N.Y.11971
ORGANIZATION (if any): Southold Town Community Development Office
IDENTIFICATION
1. BUILDING NAME(S): apttar Parson house
2. COUNTY: S u f folk TOWN/CITY: Southold VILLAGE: Southold
3. STRFFIT LOCATION: North End of Hyatt Road E.
4. OWNERSHIP: a- public 1-1 h private 9
S. PRLSENT OWNER: Cappone ADDRESS:
6. USI': Original: Studio Present: —studio/residence
7. ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC Exterior visible from public road: Yes ❑ No FX1
Interior accessible: Explain
DESCRIPTION
S. BUILDING a. clapboard ❑ b. stone ❑ c. brick ❑ d. board and batten ❑
MATERIAL: 'e. cobblestone ❑ f. shingles ❑ g. stucco ❑ other: vertical boards
1)_ .14RUCTURAL a. wood frame with interlocking joints ❑
SYSTEM: b. wood frame with light members 0
(il`kntwn) c. masonry load bearing walls ❑
d. metal (explain)
e. other
10. CONDITION: a. excellent ❑ b. good FE c. fair ❑ d. deteriorated
11. INTF(;R1TY: a. original site 1:4 b. moved ❑ if so,when`'
c. list major alterations and dates (if known):
SD RSM xxix-4
12. PHOTO From north east 13. MAP: N.Y.S. DOT Southold Quad
Front (north) and east elevation
F ' ' or to Pt
Light
�F
tj y
v
� f ^
f
t
� o
/ AV �,r
1 o
SD 239a
Id. THREATS TO BUILDING: a. none known ® b.zoning❑ c. roads ❑
d. developers ❑ e. deterioration ❑
f. other:
15. RELATED OUTBUILDINGS AND PROPERTY:
a. barn C] b. carriage house ❑ c. garage ❑
d. privy ❑ e. shed ❑ f. greenhouse ❑
g. shop ❑ h. gardens ❑
i. landscape features:
j. other:
16. SURROUNDINGS OF THE BUILDING (check more than one if necessary):
a.open land ❑ b. woodland KI
c.scattered buildings ❑
d.densely built-up ❑ e. commercial ❑
f. industrial ❑ g. residential ❑
h.other:
17. INTI-RRELATIONSHIP OF BUILDING AND SURROUNDINGS:
(Indicate if building or structure is in an historic district)
In untouched wooded area, in small clearing, perched on
a cliff, high above the Long Island Sound, with an un-
obstructed view across the water.
18. OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES OF BUILDING AND SITE (including interior features if known):
This small one-story modernist house has sliding wood
panels to cover the windows.
SIGNIFICANCE
11). DATE: OF INITIAL CONSTRUCTION:__
ARCHITECT: T� 22 y ami th
BUILDER:
0� IIISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE:
Tony Smith, the architect of this house was an architect
with a leaning to be a sculptor, and eventually became a
very prominent, influential sculptor. This small house
is minimalist, reminiscent of Japanese architecture.
It is an important example of modernist architecture on
Long Island. Betty Parsons , for whom the house was built,
was a painter and owner of a gallery in New York.
21. SOURCES: The Architecture of Suffolk _County. Heckscher
Museum. 1971
Interview Alastair Gordono 8/28/1986
House and Garden. June 1967, PP. 87-88
22, THEMF
Form prepared by Rosemary Skye Moritt, research
assistant.
SD 239A
Bauhaus On The Beach
AI_AS'TAIR GORDON
ome of the more experimental
houses of the period pushed the tra-
ditional "geography" of the Ameri-
can house to a new limit.Truly isolated on
the landscape like imaginary objects in
space, they were radical departures from
the accepted imagery of the house. They
tested the tolerance and adaptability of
their inhabitants, forcing them in some
cases to alter the habits of their everyday
lives. Elemental geometric solids, tilted,
skewed,-and rotated like children's blocks,
the houses rose up from their sitcs looking
more'like abstract sculptures than human
domiciles.
The unusual house/studio that Tony
Smith designed for the artist Theodoros
Stamos in East Marion was one such
departure(1951).A long,diamond-shaped
`tIl of a_ form was cradled high on a set of_
vert c 1 and diagonal braces.There was full
fenestration at both the south and north
ends. while two skylights near the center
of the roof brought ample studio light to
the middle part of the house.
Like a boat in drydock raised on posts or
a lunar landing module, the house made
strong metamorphic associations mixed
within a certain amount of architectural
tongue-in-cheek. The house really
possessed two peaked roofs—one at the
top where most roofs are found and the
other below, dropping down like an
underbelly.
Here in the Stamos house (as well as in
the house/studio that Smith also desipned
at this time for the art dealer Betty Parsons
in nearby Southold) we can recognize a
rare sculptural sensibility that would be
brought to full recognition in TonySmith's
second career as a sculptor.
ew
� I
I
SIS 239a
"Bauhaus on the Beach," by Alastair Gordon
East Hampton Star 5/21/$7.
Quogue called the "Holiday House." The The cover of the July, 1954, issue of
1 grabbing projects from the 1950s made use construction of the house was sponsored The American Home magazine had a
of diamond or "box-kite" shapes in their by the magazine itself and the architect dramatic photograph of the Lewis house
r designs. was George Nelson (Holiday's architec- on Louse Point Road overlooking Ac-
The Pearlroth house (1959) in West- tural consultant).As the magazine stated in cabonac Harbor in Sprinp;. The picture
hamoton RParti and the Hunt house an article by Carl L. Biemiller, the project was taken during an exceptionally high
r (1959) in Ocean Bay Park on Fire Island was "initiated to explore the full tide, making the house, which stood on
were remarkably free-handed and whim- possibilities of modern vacation living." It stilts, seem even more like a floating
sical interpretations of the standard week- would be an"all-season house which could houseboat than it really was.
f
i
k
Y t
�t
� f �
: ,
"w.AW��
nmissioned this East Marion house by Tony TONY SMITH designed this house in Southold overlooking the Sound for Betty Parsons,
AlastairGordt,;t the gallery owner and artist.
46
IL
ilk
r .7'la;+,f: ��. .`� � � y ''j �" �4 /�. f' • ' •' j(�}j, A `•
.` 4 "L 1 , 'rI' t -'► r ) a�� •1i.� .851.. t • rI. i.i GFr �'
-vi��a: � � . ' :,.''!+ !',j "�`'�'�y• +�` ��� ' � �� �1 .l��''jjs'�i� A��x'��' ���ls..riy�`'�. '� �� *�`': .p'-•� ���'� ��� r.� :;
• \ * � � r. �f`.�.l.er,`�'.� •��' `a�! f♦j����" � 1. aw���r�e �-' }ra• °.� 1. ��. �+►' �''t r. �a`r.�
Y� •,rJ• ,/.f y''j i r�V*•t3` ' a��.M .tib:! ' '� �k� '�' t�iai. v i� .dti • i ' r
� jj4�' • * =��,�'•l ijf•� r� �j, '. a� •�•< •d,l•� � +f �� j��t� r `� �i ,� •T I•�; t-
/a / ` ••/r •�f.•,.'� . 1r` ti:. ` 1�. .� T`. }�• `f�r r. y 61 , •:. `�,.� f t r �'sj yO ' '4'ice,``' ' i �. !• `tea. h
/{rte♦Ir• f .�I'i• r���L 6-k
-t. •;• �.... {� •� a i � ' ! ` ' E§ � + �`` �-•rir '� i.. ��. - �'• vim' .I
IJ L'
f •
PY
• •�: . :"!•, .moi ,.i. ,f' '� i ' ::. ii :'.L ��! ►�'_~ <'«:. 'f 'r' •'' r
' - •' ' •—. .. ,•:itr,•R .c •rte." •.•... _ M rte'.. -i, •.�
ii - �� s� • ,�4•• , ,.,ate:?., 't ./ "a°•i��/.•fZJ A+ "R�1 �iM •� •'i.•r' . '�( 1 '� •
•�•,� "'t�-i•l.'rrA��-.r�' I' • 'i' }• :-. � 1 �i* iF�` rA.,.. .. ti w!1• +. �,'l i•` �`"t' r��a 11 �� • �•
,r -�♦ •f •F..��.;•=.i"• 'i'.F4.r• .�.� a «• -a•'• • �� ay.' •• . • M .I� "`����:Y� .� .� r � •
A• •l.'. �•�ty .a, �V .'S'�Y Ga �y •yl •i :07' � 4 ;�r�...� 7 r .rr ,rti � r yi" .••. Awa. �w
'-Yr 1. 1, _ ar •'A• l~• oa A: •I•AS' ''� 1'*Y'.. ,� ,�� �G• S r /!•t'r �.. •Y•' r 1` r a' / '.i. .i•ry'A!,f ., ^• `,
/ r s. •. ,SSI., a ♦ a;-pr's i x., ,.. .� - a r. �,+�.I"t ` a ,`: •.•,.�{.s ,»j .t„ 'n{ti' •'4• �•I S':• r{.
• * + •i• • ` �+ .. •f" *���' �r�w 4" F'']�l�y.�� "�• S .1~"•S` ,:�� •�• 'f#+�,�•o:, •`''�;:r •:Niir..r �`,r„r�•e'M�di. '�`r_y�lY' .. •
• ' •+/i ! '•y. t •a,^ •� ��, , w-,y `R Y t.sal. t4•'- �'.- ''ar ` tyf; f '-c`''� .'�• r.r r ''��� I '.1�`.j,"i ••Y` � �,,
• '' .."j'4 . �•^''"%••••�' J Q• Y'r.•' .,�• } ..�4 j - iF's. ..4 - i'; - •a+." •�.M sM-*i..y 'F�"aa''� • �'►•.'' 1,� 7 t�` ,..i-'/r •
:.. - �, . r,•ra 7 �" r,• ysr *'rr• + p'.Y.,
• ��• =y / r7:"..Via• \ .i.;. 7:•_%�•.f. I'Y�.,''f /•� `� • +�� ._ �, ! My' '.r �•
ti ! •X'.�• �: •� •s, .�.•�• ✓a tr ,,. � s' ,,
IM; •�l.rr�\' -j°'•,�,' a'•� ,� it i •r "�� •.. «: �
o
�•�i �_ "� �� • 7. . r{ •.• f `�� � , r+ '• .'� .,, • -,�, rs '` •a,•. •�. • /•-may -:
' •r I 'r'.�rt,y. • . is .�= ar r k("• ♦'I *" r :Ll '�F ♦ a' ` a s. ■ `�•.al-
aslk
/ .•� .i.•����, - ate• "Pi
I!'�,�k1_•��,✓ %+'t-,•; i ;r"I ry..+ 7`� '• -�'•,` �' �•r� 1
' } ;'r''� •`J ~ ,y� �*�^,�� f - . a•! j •y'•` \ • i 40%'' a�� �rr . w .I�� '�:+��.t'yti,�• x,�.'�•~'�'� .\
40
+• / m' '�• so'. ..•• +►-. �� `h.'�" r• '' 4f�L�' :�'_-s•!:1►ati'���\"�_a��a Jt.
SD 239a
The wing designed by Alexander McIlvaine and Although houses have been built on beaches
added in 1969 blends well with the whole. and dunes over a long period of years, some of
Three contemporary architects of interna- those built within the last decade represent a
tional reputation built houses in the Hunting- willingness to try new styles which matches the
ton area in the 1950's. courage required for building on the shifting
The first of these, Wallace Harrison, built a sands of the south shore.
house for himself. Hidden in the woods, it in- Among these houses there is a predominance
geniously combines oval and rectangular forms. of vertical siding, enclosed stairways, rounded
Unfortunately photographs were not available for forms (made possible by this type of construction)
the exhibition. and broken roof lines which sometimes appear to
In 1951 Marcel Breuer built a house with be more of an exercise in geometry than an in-
butterfly roof, vertical wood siding and fine tegral part of the building. Yet there are success-
stonework for the Hanson family in Huntington. ful uses of this "style," of which the house and
It rests unobtrusively on a grassy plot surrounded studio for Robert Gwathmey at Amagansett built
by trees. As it becomes a part of the landscape it in 1965 by Gwathmey & Henderson (N1r. Gwath-
speaks for that small but important segment of mey is the son of the artist for whom this inter-
today's thinkers who believe that architecture and esting complex was built) is notable. There are
nature must unite and that it is not the function other fine examples and many followers of this
of architecture to destroy nature. style.
Philip Johnson brought his genius to Hunt- If the "international style" was romanticised
ington in 1956 when he built a house above the in the Leski house, it stands on its own in the
harbor in Lloyd Neck. This house brings nature Sabel House at Southampton, a second genera-
into the living room so to speak with a large tion version designed by Julian and Barbara Nes-
glass living space cantilevered over the bluff and ki. r..
the more intimate living area tucked into the hill- Concrete has fascinated and challenged the
side. architects of the twentieth century and has been
Two other houses in the Huntington area most notably used for monumental public struc-
both built in 1966 echo this feeling for the land- tures. There is a tendency for the material to
scape. Tad Leski's design for his own home is become cold and forbidding in domestic use. At
related to the "international style" with its spare Southampton the Sugarman House designed by
white walls and well designed glass areas, but it Ward Bennett in 1970 is a handsome structure
has in its woodland setting and the development which with its geometric planes and assertiveness
of its hillside garden all of the romance of the seems able to withstand wind and tide.
true nature lover. The Zazzera house designed by Two churches indicate the ambiguity of to-
A. Illum Hansen exists in a different setting on a day's ecclesiastical architectural thought. Both
north shore beach where planting is possible and have sought to express their purpose in a con-
the blending of the Japanese-influenced complex temporary idiom. Trinity Evangelical Lutheran
of house and studio with its connecting Japanese Church at Rocky Point designed in 1964 by Ed-
garden add a different dimension to the house in win Slater seeks to express in contemporary terms
nature theme. the symbolism of its belief. Its basic plan is an
On a smaller and more intimate scale two equalateral triangle as the symbol of the Trinity.
summer homes have settled into their woodland Seen from the air (surely a 20th century concern)
setting, the studio house for Betty Parsons de- the building appears to be in the form of a fish,
,gfigned by Tonv Smith circa 1958, on the North one of the earliest Christian symbols. Its geo-
Fork and architect A] De Vido's recent summer metric preoccupation, soaring roof and contem-
home at East Hampton. porary fenestration make it a present day build-
The Architecture of Suffolk County.
29 Heckscher Museum 1971
�• SD 239a
M
z K' T
—— r 58. "HOUSE BY THE SEA"
Cwathmey and Henderson, Architects
" G'lar
55. STUDIO HOUSE FOR BETTY PARSONS
s �
ony Smith, Designer
Circa 1958
I
i
• { 59. KAPLAN HOUSE
' •^ Julian and Barbara Neski, Architects
r r
56. THE ARCHITECT'S SUMMER HOME `
Al De Vido, Architect
o'fWW,.,7
57. HOUSE AND STUDIO FOR ROBERT GWATHMEY
Cwathmey and Henderson, Architects 1 .
1965 ,3 '
Fill. HOUSE FOR DR. WILLIAM LEE CURRY
Richard Kaplan, Architect
The Architecture of Suffolk County.
Heckscher Museum 1971
32
SD 239A
r
S f
t
ems,.
l- ,.LI` kk
F �•
e'
Pitched skylight floods 30-foot-high, 136-foot- 1-Vork at front left is b Ibny Smith; :right by Henry
long mezzanine sculpture court with natural light. Moore; black box in to le is b .anise Nevelson.
At Metropolitan Museum of Art new 20th century wing.
fine examples of Impressionist and Postimpressionist McHenry insists it was none of his doing, although he
art, familiar imagery that makes no rude demands on certainly approvesof it,and assigns theglotytoothers—
the eye. She enthusiastically financed the museum's notably Roche,whose architectural firm,Kevin Roche
redesign of its Egyptian galleries,paid for most of the John Dinkeloo and Associates,handled the museum's
restoration of the facade and Great Hall, and estab- expansion; and Douglas Dillon,who was the influen-
lished the funds to ensure that the hall will be eter- tial Met board president during much of the building
nally stocked with the extravagant displays of the period. Mrs. Wallace came to know and admire these
fres't flowers she loved. two men,McHenry relates,and they"so captured Mrs.
One of the oddities of this philanthropic saga is that Wallace's imagination and enthusiasm and trust that
no one seems prepared to claim the credit for her i f they had said they wanted to re-create the Eiffel 7-)w-
largess. Philippe de Montebello, director of the Met, er at twice the height, she would have said, 'Do it.—
says the museum applied to her foundation and Mrs. indeed, through some periods of the Met's 117-year
lV;Clace said, "Yes, I'd love to do that." Kevin Roche, life,a 2,000-foot replica of the Eiffel might have stood
the architect,says it could not have happened without it better chance than much of the art of our tittle.The
Barnabas McHenry, who managed her foundation. record of the Metropolitan Museum on 20th-century
art has been sporadically intelligent and more often
Helen f)udar wrote about the Los Angeles art scene eccentric, recalcitrant, careless, casual and, on one oc-
in SMITHSONIAN,June 1986,and about the Reaves° casion,not entirely honest.But it is now the proprietor
Collection in the Pallas Museum of Art in January. of what amounts to a substantial museum of modern
Smithsonian
May _1q_T7_
49
i