Paul Rudolph

Archetypes of Space: a Poetic View Into Rudolph's Design for the Boston Government Service Center

When the major architecture journal, Architectural Record, covered Paul Rudolph’s Boston Government Service Center, they took an unusual and fascinating approach: looking at the building’s forms & interiors though the matrix of spatial archetypes.

Saying No to Demolition: the Nivola Family & Museum’s Stand Against Destroying Art (and Rudolph’s Building) in Boston

The state government of Massachusetts wants to sell parts of Rudolph’s Boston Government Service Center—and that would mean the likely destruction of the two symbolic and lively murals by artist Constantino Nivola within the building. The Nivola family, foundation, and museum have come out with powerful statements in support of saving the murals (and the building for which they were designed). Your support could help save them.

New Film Features Paul Rudolph's Boston Government Service Center

A new film features images of Paul Rudolph’s Boston Government Service Center.

Alert: Important Meeting On Future of Rudolph's Boston Government Service Center

The state wants to sell parts of Rudolph’s Boston Government Service Center to a developer—and all their “alternatives” include demolition to part of the site. You can attend a presentation in Boston—and show your support for preservation.

Update: Development "Alternatives" Report Released for Rudolph's BOSTON GOVERNMENT SERVICE CENTER

The government-sponsored report on “development options” for the Boston Government Service Center has just been issued—and we summarize what they’re contemplating (including more-and-more demolition in every choice they’re considering).

Rudolph: The Green Architect — Part TWO

Further evidence of Paul Rudolph’s proto-“green” consciousness—as shown here by examples of his other strategies for dealing with intense sun loads.

Rudolph: The Green Architect — Part ONE

Paul Rudolph showed a “green” consciousness, in an era well before energy/environmental concerns were a priority among architects. Here we’re reminded about two of his designs, built in sun-intense Florida.

Extraordinary Architectural Drawings--Including of Rudolph's Yale A&A Building

Visualization of the activities within Paul Rudolph’s Yale Art & Architecture Building, from Architizer’s One Drawing Competition

Kate Wagner and McMansion Hell: Deeper Into the question of Brutalism (and what it's NOT)

The popular website goes further into the question of Brutalism, in part two of their exploration of that controversial term and style.

Busting Myths about the Boston Government Service Center and Paul Rudolph: Who Really Designed It?

There are a bunch of questionable accusations (and un-truths) about Rudolph and his building. We’re out to bust them—especially the one about who really designed the Boston Government Service Center.

A Rudolph Masterpiece is Sold—but you still have a Second Chance (with the Replica)

The original Walker Guest House was just sold—but you have a second chance: a faithful replica is now up for auction!

Hollywood Nods to Urban Design (and Paul Rudolph)

Paul Rudolph’s design for a Manhattan mega-structure makes an appearance in this new film…

New Book on Paul Rudolph - focusing on his Drawings

Rudolph’s drawings, so well-known for their graphic power and inventiveness, are now seen in a beautiful new volume.

Halston meets tom ford - what is being done at 101 east 63rd

The great fashion designer Halston, enthroned in his living room—within the famous “101”, the townhouse in New York’s Upper East Side neighborhood in Manhattan . Photo by Harry Benson, from a feature on Halston in Life Magazine.

The great fashion designer Halston, enthroned in his living room—within the famous “101”, the townhouse in New York’s Upper East Side neighborhood in Manhattan . Photo by Harry Benson, from a feature on Halston in Life Magazine.

A House with a History

Paul Rudolph designed the original residence at 101 East 63rd street for Mr. Alexander Hirsch in 1966. He created a Modernist oasis for his client, an intensely private person who wanted a place to escape to while still being in the heart of Manhattan. As Rudolph later described the project in Sibyl Moholy-Nagy’s 1970 book, The Architecture of Paul Rudolph:

A world of its own, inward looking and secretive, is created in a relatively small volume of space in the middle of New York City. Varying intensities of light are juxtaposed and related to structures within structures. Simple materials (plaster, paint) are used, but the feeling is of great luxuriousness because of the space. The one exposed facade reveals the interior arrangement of volumes by offsetting each floor and room in plan and section.

The house later went from being a private refuge to a celebrity hot spot known for its notorious parties when it was sold to the fashion designer Halston in the 1970’s. Halston himself spoke about the space in a recent documentary about his life that was featured on CNN:

I’m Halston and this is my home. The architect was Paul Rudolph and the day I saw it, I bought it. Its the only real modern house built in the city of New York since the second world war. Its like living in a three dimensional sculpture.

A video portion of Halston walking through 101 East 63rd from the CNN documentary. Halston’s description of the house begins at 0:46:50.

A video portion of Halston walking through 101 East 63rd from the CNN documentary. Halston’s description of the house begins at 0:46:50.

His lawyer upon visiting the house quipped, “I’m going to enjoy making money for you Halston because you know how to spend it.”

For more information about the house, you can find drawings and photos of it on our project page here.

Perspective Section Rendering. © The Estate of Paul Rudolph, Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation

A Buyer as Famous as the House

As we reported in a previous blog post back in March, the house was finally sold to fashion designer Tom Ford after being on the market for a number of years. The sale, first reported in an article in Women’s Wear Daily after being the subject of rumors for a few weeks, was reported across social media and the design community. Articles appeared in Garage, Vogue, GQ, Mansion Global, the Daily Mail and New York Times.

Halston had hired Rudolph to renovate the space when he bought it. Wall to wall grey carpet, mirrored and Plexiglas furniture and chain-mail curtains were installed as a result. Members of the design community were pleased to learn that Tom Ford intended to restore the interior to the glamour that many remembered.

A Restoration, or Renovation?

Shortly before the sale was announced, The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation was approached by Mr. Ford’s architect, Atmosphere Design Group, to obtain copies of Rudolph’s original drawings. We were told ‘the client’ wanted to restore the interiors.

Paul Rudolph’s Mezzanine Floor Plan. © The Estate of Paul Rudolph, Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation

Paul Rudolph’s Third Floor Plan. © The Estate of Paul Rudolph, Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation

We asked the architect to consider consulting with the Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation during the design process to ensure the design was faithful to Mr. Rudolph’s original vision. They said they would consider it and were never heard from again. Given the architect is generally known for Mr. Ford’s retail store design, we were concerned when we learned a demolition permit was issued in August, 2019.

Our request was not without precedent - the Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation has given advice, free of charge, to owners of Rudolph-designed properties in the past. We were part of the design review of proposed replacement windows at the Mary Jewett Arts Center. We also helped a home owner in New Jersey find an architect to design an addition. In the end, he was able to hire Rudolph’s original project manager to construct the addition in way that fit into the original design.

A Cautious Optimism

We continued to hold out hope that - despite not hearing from the architect - the project was ‘in good hands.’ From online comments and at our public events, people were relieved to hear Mr. Ford had purchased the property as he was known for taking care of homes designed by significant architects, such as Richard Neutra.

Following the CNN documentary, Netflix announced that it too was going to do a story about Halston and were scouting locations to use for filming. Netflix location scouts visited us in the Rudolph-designed apartment at Modulightor and we spoke to them about Mr. Ford’s proposed changes and they said they would call us after seeing the original home for themselves. That was followed by the New York Times publishing the Halston interior as #19 on its ‘25 Rooms that Influence the Way We Design

As the iconic interior continued to be in the news, we waited to see what was being done to the space.

Then we got a call - “The space is gutted, Its unrecognizable.

What Will Change and What Will Stay the Same

The foundation immediately made phone calls and was able to obtain a set of the permit drawings. The following is what we learned about the work:

First Floor - Existing Plan. © The Estate of Paul Rudolph, Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation

First Floor - Demolition Plan. Drawing by Atmosphere Design Group, from the NYC DOB.

First Floor - Construction Plan. Drawing by Atmosphere Design Group, from the NYC DOB.

Second Floor - Existing Plan. © The Estate of Paul Rudolph, Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation

Second Floor - Demolition Plan. Drawing by Atmosphere Design Group, from the NYC DOB.

Second Floor - Construction Plan. Drawing by Atmosphere Design Group, from the NYC DOB.

What’s different:

  • All of the bathrooms are being gutted and some are combined to become larger. Looking at the elevations, we are pleased to learn it will include floor to ceiling mirrors with chrome vanities and toilets in some of them.

Mirrors, mirrors everywhere… reminds us of the note ‘melamine everything’ that was found during a renovation of Rudolph’s own 23 Beekman Place. We especially love the polished chrome toilet and vanity with undercounter lighting. Drawing by Atmosphere Design Group, from the NYC DOB.

  • The Kitchen will be enlarged (presumably for a menu greater than just ‘baked potatoes’)

Mirrors used for the kitchen back-splash are reminiscent of the kitchen designed by Paul Rudolph at the Modulightor’s duplex apartment. Drawing by Atmosphere Design Group, from the NYC DOB.

  • The Master Bedroom’s walk in closet is being removed and turned into a separate bedroom

What’s the same:

  • The main space for the most part is left alone. While this is a relief, it will disappoint anyone who was hoping the hardwood flooring, installed by a previous owner, would be replaced by Halston’s signature grey wall-to-wall plush carpeting.

The iconic living room will be left mostly as is. The furniture layout suggests it may be recreated to match Halston’s Rudolph-designed originals. Drawing by Atmosphere Design Group, from the NYC DOB.

The living room floor and stair treads are now wood. According to the plans, they will remain wood. Photo by Carl Bellavia, Archives of the Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation.

The original funriture layout designed by Paul Rudolph for Halston. Photo by Harry Benson, from a feature on Halston in Life Magazine.

The original funriture layout designed by Paul Rudolph for Halston. Photo by Harry Benson, from a feature on Halston in Life Magazine.

What could be a concern:

  • Despite being in a landmark district - and signed off by the Landmark’s Commission as having no affect on the building exterior - the drawings show the original garage door will be removed and replaced.

Note the garage door is dotted on the demolition plan, with a note calling for it to be replaced. Drawing by Atmosphere Design Group, from the NYC DOB.

garage door 03.jpg
  • The drawings call for renovations of the landscaping and roof to be filed separately

The Fourth Floor construction plan, showing no work to be done on the roof, but calling for new roof tree planters. Drawing by Atmosphere Design Group, from the NYC DOB.

The Paul Rudolph Heritage Foundation will continue to watch for future applications to see what is planned for these areas that fall under landmarks review and protection.

When Three Generations of a Family Have Loved a House...

Dr. Walker, his children, and his children’s children, have lived in and loved the Walker Guest House—designed by Paul Rudolph.

Beloved Rudolph Design, The Walker Guest House, To Be Auctioned

The Walker Guest House—one of Paul Rudolph’s most delightfully inventive houses—will be sold at auction in December