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ELEMENTS
OF LIVING - March 2006
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Backgrounder of 246 East 58th Street
History of 246 East 58th Street in New York City -
- designed and built by world-renowned architect: Paul Rudolph (1918-1997)
Let’s begin by acknowledging the accolades by other architects
of Paul Rudolph
'Paul Rudolph the Man’ and Testimonials - how he influenced
Modulightor and how the Collections Gallery evolved which led to the
beginning of the Paul Rudolph Foundation.
There is wide interest in the building by architects and architectural
students. 6 publications in 6 months emerged between 2004/2005 which
profiled the building - and since then it has become a destination
for architectural aficionados.
The roots are explainable in three elements inseparable:
The Late Modernism is now a historical style.Paul Rudolph as an architect
understood and spoke that language magically and brilliantly from
a formal, architectural viewpoint.
Rudolph also saw and created the way lighting should be and...
…the way the collections are grouped in context within the space.
Paul Rudolph and Ernst Wagner bought 246 East 58th Street in 1989.
Originally a commercial non-descript structure, Rudolph wanted to
create his own environment. The old building was torn down and re-engineered
as a steel structure for a 9-story building. At the time of the building
redesign, Rudolph and Wagner were already friends for almost 20 years
and knew this joint venture was going to be a positive experience.
It is now 32 years since Wagner met Rudolph and he is still very much
alive at 246 and Modulightor.
For the interior construction Rudolph became his own contractor meeting
with the project managers on a daily basis. The living quarters are
a spacious two-floor space - or - more correctly: one floor and a
mezzanine. Rudolph did not just do two-floor apartments - instead
he thought in terms of spatial movement, psychology of space, proportions
and balance. He created an intricate, multi tiered spiral of spaces.
Both the width and the height of the space keep changing, adjusting
in a series of movements of rectilinear and horizontal planes, creating
a kinetic assemblage of spaces of multiple dimensions: it feels dynamic
and serene at the same time The Detailing:
Instead of the usual heavy diagonal structure supporting solid steps
and risers, Rudolph created a delicate sequence of ‘floating’
steps cantilevered and suspended, dissolving almost invisibly into
the fabric of the shelves of the apartment. Steps floating, moving,
changing direction are all integral parts of the spatial concept,
which constantly changes as one moves.
Rudolph designed the furniture using a standard modular shelving
system and Plexiglas.
Earlier he undertook along with Wagner as the ‘small sail’
the developments of 23 Beekman Place and 246 East 58th Street which
are ‘offsprings’.He designed and built another townhouse
in New York City, the Halston House on East 63rd Street: a classic
modernist design, beautifully and elegantly proportioned.
1970’s: 23 Beekman Place – his famous Quadruplex:
An incredibly rich, very personal vision of the possibilities that
architecture offers: 23 Beekman Place is both intimate and Piranesi-like
soaring, an orchestration of interlocking spaces. It became a design
laboratory where he constantly would change, try out and experiment
new versions. A composition of rich textures, reflective materials
that caught the light in magical ways. No less than 17 levels can
be counted that, pinwheel-like, float harmoniously, leading elegantly
proportions from one to the next level. Unfortunately the new owner
stripped the richness of this masterpiece to the basic space where
Rudolph started. In his last will, Rudolph expressed in strong words
that the apartment be preserved and made available to the architectural
community as a place for meetings, gatherings, colloquia.
23 Beekman Place was constantly evolving: light plays,
water falls, canals on the terrace were built. There was a Plexiglas
Jacuzzi on the top level of the building where you could see at
one point over 30 feet of dazzling spaces underneath; a 20th century
version of the Sir John Sloane House in London.
At one point, Wagner asked Rudolph; “Is it not going
to be too complicated?” To which he replied; “No, no,
you don’t understand: architecture is like music! Do you think
that a Bach fugue is too complicated?”
When the they built 246 East 58th Street, Rudolph would,
like at 23 Beekman Place, meet with the workers in the morning and
carefully, -like a sculpture- make mock-ups with foam boards and
would ‘merge’ the built forms with the ‘voids’
until he was satisfied.
Influenced by the minimalism of Mies van der Rohe, the richness
of Le Corbusier forms and spaces and the harmonious and dynamic
complexity of Wright he created his own vocabulary of intricately
interwoven spaces.
For Wagner, the experience of living in these spaces became an experience
of living in a sculpture, in a work of art: wherever you move you
see other new, fresh, energizing and exciting visual aspects.
Rudolph may have had a similar career like Frank Lloyd Wright: Famous
as a young architect - then a long valley in his middle years in
America (though Rudolph realized a rich body of work in the seventies
through the nineties in the Far East where he was greatly respected),
then a peak towards the end. In the early 90's the interest in his
work and modernism started to soar - he would receive design classes
on Saturdays from all over- and in the mid nineties commissions
from his homeland started to come in.
Testimonials by other architects:
Philip Johnson stated after Paul’s death; “Rudolph is
the Frank Lloyd Wright of his generation”.
Many of his students at Yale that one meets tell Wagner
that Rudolph was one of the most prolific, influential and formative
architectural teachers of the 20th Century. He was a brilliant master
draftsman and renderer who were able to jut down an incredible wealth
of imaginations with the speed of light. People would lament or
make it known in speeches that he also was the most under-recognized
important architects or the 20th Century.
Architects like Peter Eisenman, Norman Foster, Charles Gwathmey,
Tony Monk, Richard Rogers, Der Scut, Robert Stern, Stanley Tigerman,
just to name a few - were his students. Foster said; “Paul
Rudolph was the single most formative force in my life”.
Somebody asked Gropius about his most talented students;
"Paul Rudolph and I.M. Pei”, in that order. Joanna Steichen,
widow of Edward Steichen, and a long time friend of ours said to
me. Gifted people often are difficult - Paul was not ”.
Former employees would comment: He was extremely focused,
could become impatient and was therefore demanding and could get
frustrated when they would not ‘get the gist’. However
he was always fair and understanding in a fatherly way.
After he was gone I contemplated what I could say about
him and came up with a ‘veil’ of words of testimonials
- in alphabetical order- about many of his qualities as a human
being. I wrote these qualities down on the plaque at the entry of
the apartment. And people who knew him speak about him in similar
terminology.
Scott Lauer from “Open House New York” asked
Wagner if the building could become available for their events.
A testimonial that his ouevre is being rediscovered and celebrated.
Rudolph would be pleased. In 2004, approx. 2005 people visited in
one day.
In 2005 the building saw over 1,200 people during pouring rain.
246 East 58 Street is now an architectural destination dozens of
groups and associations interested in modernism
A few words on Light and Lighting by Ernst Wagner:
The effect of light and lighting as a fourth dimension was of intense
interest to Rudolph.
In the late 70's, I was at awe by Rudolph’s fascinating, imaginative
experiments with lighting. There was the infinity light room: He
would drape ‘light curtains’ - vertical Christmas tree
light strings, connected horizontally with frosted Plexiglas tubes
in front of two mirrored walls and a mirrored ceiling. Dimming the
lights down was an ‘electrifying’ experience: Zillions
of little stars would explode into infinity and one felt like floating
in the ‘milky way’. “This is for me!”, I
thought and Modulightor was born, supported by Paul Rudolph.
Le Corbusier influenced Rudolph greatly and what Corbu’s
1952 book “ Le Modulor’ taught, was translated and engineered
over numerous years into lighting products that allow the designer
to specify lighting solutions that follow situation specific requirements,
leaving the optimal freedom of lighting fixture design. As he did
integrate his furniture design he thought lighting should do the
same. While the fixture market offered plenty of good ‘off
the shelf’ fixtures, he thought that there was much more creative
potent solutions for lighting possible. Short of available lighting
product he envisioned ‘systems’ that offered maximal
design flexibility. He would define what ‘his’ lighting
ought to be: Lighting systems which are designed to be designed:
standard parts that can mate with wire ways giving the designer
the freedom to come up with a lighting fixture design configuration
that follows situation specific requirements formally and functionally.
Over the centuries lighting fixture design echoed the style of the
times . Architects and Designers have always used lighting as an
integral part and focal point of architecture:
During the Romanesque period, the Renaissance, the Baroque period,
the Colonial times, then the Tiffanies, Art Deco style, the fixtures
of the thirties, forties and fifties and the of course the modern
ones, which offer a wide range of bulbs which off a wide range of
characteristics. Rudolph thought that lighting ought to accomplish
what the Lego or Errector system taught : standard luminaries or
bulbs that can be grouped and combined or be specified (externally
or internally) into standard extrusions or wire ways.
Today we have them available in up to 12 finishes, including one
in raw that can be painted (Latex) to visually disappear. In the
seventies new bulb technologies came out that lent themselves to
compact, miniaturized linear systems.
Paul thought that miniaturization of the fixtures was important
but also chandelier-like configurations as a focal point were necessary.
Since lighting ‘unifies and ties’ a space together he
would correlate and synchronize the fixture design in spaces: same
material, finishes and luminaries as chandeliers, linear pendants,
linear brackets, wall washers, accent fixtures, task lighting, bedside
lighting, stelae etc. Modulightor is trying to manipulate light
what ‘it’ wants to do’.
Our compact Wall washers and miniaturized Artlights evolved
first and are still some of our bestsellers. We make them from 7”
long and have made Artlights over 40 ft. Recently a 53 ft version
was specified!
Rudolph on Light:
"Reflected light coming from the wall is the most humane of
all light. Since light travels in straight lines, the reflections
from the walls come back to you as an individual, putting you indirect
contact with the walls themselves. It is almost as if the walls
are caressing you with their light. This explains the humanism of
reflected light.”
Designers and Architects would express what the light should or
wants to do - a simple basic requirement for good design and we
developed a wide range of systems and engineered compatible extrusions
of various sizes that can solve myriad situation specific lighting
problems as a well as a formal ones in a wide range of customized
configurations without the ‘outer space cost’ of true
custom fixtures.
Clients also like the fact that installation cost of linear lighting,
e.g., Wall washers vs. recessed fixtures save electrical contactor
cost.
With Modulightor designers can create their own design
- within the Modulightor parts nomenclature: choose Modulightor’s
designs or adapt it. What is shown in our showroom and our website
is a small selection of projects we have actually built. Many other
variations were done. Good lighting specifications are probably
one of the more difficult ones: They need more input from the designer
or lighting designer (recommended), the sales person and the fabricator.
But it is also the fourth ‘crowning’ dimension of a
good project.
Paul was a formative force in the concept but he also designed
actual fixtures that still sell today (www.modulightor.com). Modulightor
occupies 4 levels in the building (2 basements and the first 2 floors
above ground).
Collections Gallery:
Paul was a collector: He would have liked to have a Giacometti or
a Moore, but not having the funds, he created his own art. Rudolph
thought that his spaces needed decorative accents that top the dynamic
but calm spaces.
Like Giacometti’s famous dog he would constantly ‘sniff’
for objects and by grouping or mounting them in certain ways they
would become true ‘objects d’art’. These were
often mundane ‘things’ that he visually liked; like
‘bricks’, he would group and arrange them in such a
way so that these assemblages became a unique piece of decorative
art: fresh and original.
When traveling he constantly had his visual radar turned
on, e.g. he would buy a box of Mexican miraglos he found at the
flea market and create a series of Plexiglas panels of a veil-like
delicacy. Or he would mount old Moroccan textile combs mimicking
two opposing armies.
In Mexico City he discovered at Sanborn’s white robots. He
was like ‘electrified’ and would summon the employees
to ‘get all of them available in the city’. He then
patiently painted them on Sunday afternoons, positioned them in
a lit, totem-like column of coves and the marvels of a ‘Wunderkammer’
(wonder chamber) emerged: like an army from outer space had arrived.
At Maison Drouot in Paris, he discovered Roman terracotta
heads: We bought all of them. He then grouped twenty of them on
delicate plexi stems and an archaic, dance-like assemblage was created
as the dining table centerpiece. The rest of them became a miniature
‘Antiquities Cabinet’ on a shelf. Of course Andy Warhol’s
work and Marcel Duchamp’s compositions have similar approaches.
Oscar Wilde quoted; ”I have found that all ugly things are
made by those who strive to make something beautiful and all beautiful
things are made by those who strive to make something useful.”
One may not quite agree with Mr. Wilde, but he has a point:
Often, certain ordinary things, mounted in a certain context or
space become daily happy encounters. It’s like happy encounters
with people you have met - or pets for that matter- except they
stay with you and say daily; “Nice to see you again!”
Over the years, these collections have grown and developed into
a gallery-like assemblage of over 100 categories. Amiss of space
Wagner just ‘sprinkled’ these things with Modulightor’s
fixtures in the showroom. Architects and Designers started to discover
the charm of these collections and acquire them now for their client’s
delights. Especially when they are well lit, they become alive,
sparkling, exciting, unique focal points - for some other eyes an
alternative to somewhat mundane decorative elements and a still
relatively economic alternative to “Gallery art”. Although
finding good material is becoming increasingly more time consuming
- simply because the ‘good stuff’ is to becoming rarer.
A website (“www.collectionsgallery.us”) is in development.
I feel that I was incredibly lucky to have gained the friendship
and trust of this great man over a 25-year span. One of the legacies
of his to me was his continuing curiosity towards discovering and
seeing things-and the world- with a new, fresh, vivid and intense
eye - it affected me deeply. He taught me and many others to learn
how to see.
The Paul Rudolph Foundation:
Colleagues and friends of Paul’s and myself have formed a
Paul Rudolph Foundation with the purpose to make his work available
on the web (www.paulrudolph.org).
I bought the publishing rights of the book ‘Paul Rudolph:
The Late Work’ and donated it for publication to the Princeton
Architectural Press, which in turn gave the Foundation books to
raise money.
I plan to put up his work of his last 25 years on the Website
in order to allow the public to see his oeuvre. We need to and are
dependent as a Public Foundation to raise funds.
We do this via premises rentals, sale of books about Rudolph,
sale of limited editions of sketches, drawings and renderings. Furniture
and lighting he designed will be made available. We are welcoming
volunteers in various capacities – e.g. organizing and website
work -to help us in our activities towards celebrating the oeuvre
of
“One of the important late modernist Architects” to
quote Charles Jenks.
Putting up his work on the Internet is the next big project
and we of course will welcome persons to give us a hand in whichever
way they can.
Ernst Wagner
246 East 58 Street
New York, NY 10022
E-mail : ernst@modulightor.com
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Comments & Press
" You have to know that all of our guests are just blown away
by the two chandeliers and the discussion is always which is the
nicer one, which is more striking, etc. The end result is usually
the same-each is a work of art and each works precisely right for
its location.
We had some reservations as to just how the dining room one would
look(Trinon?) but those reservations disappeared as soon as the
light was installed. It works fabulously as a light, but it works
equally well as a beautiful work of art and adds so much to the
room.
We thank you for all your help and especially how nice and professional
you have been in helping resolve the problem with the first chandelier.
In these days when "customer service" is a meaningless
phrase, you showed what the words are supposed to represent. Again,
thank you for everything.
Should you at any time be down this way and wish to see how well
the chandeliers work in our house( on OR off ), please stop by.
Best to you"
-- by Roselle and Marco Sonnenschein
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