by Stamberg Aferiat Associates
Unlock Richard Meier’s geometric system and expand upon it. Adding on to this Richard Meier designed house was a challenge. In studying the plan for this structure, we saw that it was quite different from Meier’s other houses. Unlike his other projects, which are collages, we saw this design as a clear, complete, somewhat locked, geometric system. The plan for this house consisted of two exquisitely carved rectangles rotated upon one another. The client felt that each room was too small and wanted to increase the dwelling space. At first, we could not see how to add to the house without destroying it.
But then looking at subsequent Meier designs we saw that, like this one, many of them sprouted landscape elements as extensions of walls. When we extended the walls of the rectangles into the landscape, we discovered the key that opened the system, allowing us to easily add to them without compromising the original.
PROJECT
Opening a Closed System
DESCRIPTION
A 3,000SF Addition to an
Existing Modern House
Designed by Richard Meier
MATERIALS
Concrete Stucco, Lead
Copper, White Oak
SCOPE
Complete Architectural
Services, Landscape
Consultation, Interior Design,
Construction Administration
via archimagazine
