Richard Meier, Saltzman House, East Hampton, 1967 (view in google maps)

Saltzman house is a clear example of the arquitect’s early days, based on the language of the European rationalism drawn particularly by Le Corbusier during the 20s.

In Saltzman House, the elegant use of rationalist language is comes to pure fruition. The rounded contours of the house, the two separate structures linked by a footbridge, and the use of columns supported the purist appearance are all paradigms of the style. The broad curve replaces the sharp inner corner of the cube and a spiral staricase – which refer vaguely to the interior of Meier’s Ozenfant House – are enough to clarify the shape of this house.

The materials used are reinforced concrete and glass. Wood load bearing walls in private areas and steel hollow columns in public areas.

In this work, the process of addition of space is complemented by the subtraction of volume elsewhere. This is evident from the terrace, which appears as an addition of volume that was only partially rebuilt. But it is perhaps in the window design that the satisfaction of the use of style is more clearly demonstrated. Long narrow windows and square windows of different sizes follow each other around the exterior of the shape, but this design diehter is regulated nor appears programmed or contained in concept. It is simply the free and happy use of the rationalist elements: the architecture speaks of its manner of operation. But satisfaction of the style should not be confused with arbitrary element placement. Here, the form and openings that create the space are strictly aligned with what happens inside the house

Bibliography:

www.richardmeier.com/?projects=saltzman-house-2

Richard Meier, Saltzman House, East Hampton, 1967

Plan Layout

R. Besana, A. Nava, Richard Neutra, Kaufmann Desert House, 1946, Drawings completed for Corso di Arredamento e Architettura degli Interni II, Prof. Gianni Ottolini, Arch. Vera de Prizio, Politecnico di Milano, A.A. 1987-1988

Reviewed by :

Rémi Farwati, Elena Giannitsopoulos, Nadir Bouchene, Adela Plasilova, March 2017