Mia Kim of Wilder Quarterly recently went upstate to visit the home of American industrial designer Russel Wright. In part two of this story, Mia travels to New Paltz to view the Russel Wright exhibition currently on show at SUNY. Stayed tuned!
An industrial and set designer, Russel Wright firmly believed that "good design is for everyone." So he made his philosophy a reality by producing handsome wood furniture, housewares from spun aluminum, and the most popular ceramic dinnerware of all time. A pioneer tastemaker, he promoted an entire lifestyle based on easier living. In 1942, he and his wife Mary Einstein made plans to build a residence in Garrison, a hamlet located one hour north of New York City. Applying his design prowess and fondness for the natural world, Wright transformed an abandoned granite quarry and its surrounding woodlands into a sylvan paradise, and named the estate Manitoga. He strategically moved boulders to divert a stream and create a waterfall. He thinned trees to realize the most arresting vista of the Hudson River. He was essentially designing with nature. The retreat is now a national historic landmark, welcoming visitors to hike its various trails or take a guided tour of Dragon Rock, Wright's modernist home and studio.
While the clean box shape of the house was influenced by Japanese architecture, the less traditional flat top was designed with flora in mind. Native plants, among them bloodroot and white clover, thrive on a literal green roof that is considered as innovative today as it was in the mid-century. Environmental influences are just as apparent indoors. Butterflies suspended in a Plexiglas door enliven what would have otherwise been a forgettable entrance to the bathroom. The dining area hosts a 100-year-old cedar tree trunk that not only provides structural support but acts as the conversational centerpiece of the home. Flagstone flooring, a granite fireplace, and pine needles pressed into the ceiling are among the many other inventive schemes that complete Wright’s vision of integrating nature into a modern, domestic life. For a design enthusiast, tree hugger, or anyone looking for a respite from the city bustle, Manitoga is a destination to be experienced.
Guided tours run through October 28 and resume in May of 2013. Self-guided hikes are daily during daylight hours.
THE RUSSEL WRIGHT DESIGN CENTER
584 Route 9D
Garrison, NY, 10524
MAP![]()
Floor-to-ceiling windows invite the lush outside world in.
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An industrial and set designer, Russel Wright firmly believed that "good design is for everyone." So he made his philosophy a reality by producing handsome wood furniture, housewares from spun aluminum, and the most popular ceramic dinnerware of all time. A pioneer tastemaker, he promoted an entire lifestyle based on easier living. In 1942, he and his wife Mary Einstein made plans to build a residence in Garrison, a hamlet located one hour north of New York City. Applying his design prowess and fondness for the natural world, Wright transformed an abandoned granite quarry and its surrounding woodlands into a sylvan paradise, and named the estate Manitoga. He strategically moved boulders to divert a stream and create a waterfall. He thinned trees to realize the most arresting vista of the Hudson River. He was essentially designing with nature. The retreat is now a national historic landmark, welcoming visitors to hike its various trails or take a guided tour of Dragon Rock, Wright's modernist home and studio.
While the clean box shape of the house was influenced by Japanese architecture, the less traditional flat top was designed with flora in mind. Native plants, among them bloodroot and white clover, thrive on a literal green roof that is considered as innovative today as it was in the mid-century. Environmental influences are just as apparent indoors. Butterflies suspended in a Plexiglas door enliven what would have otherwise been a forgettable entrance to the bathroom. The dining area hosts a 100-year-old cedar tree trunk that not only provides structural support but acts as the conversational centerpiece of the home. Flagstone flooring, a granite fireplace, and pine needles pressed into the ceiling are among the many other inventive schemes that complete Wright’s vision of integrating nature into a modern, domestic life. For a design enthusiast, tree hugger, or anyone looking for a respite from the city bustle, Manitoga is a destination to be experienced.
Guided tours run through October 28 and resume in May of 2013. Self-guided hikes are daily during daylight hours.
THE RUSSEL WRIGHT DESIGN CENTER
584 Route 9D
Garrison, NY, 10524
MAP
Floor-to-ceiling windows invite the lush outside world in.
