George Kraigher House #2

George Kraigher House #2

For oil man George Kraigher, Richard Neutra designed two dramatically different homes, the first in open country Texas and the second in Connecticut. The second home was designed for his retirement with his extensive collection of modern art and furnishings by Charles Eames, George Nelson, and others in mind. The façade features Neutra’s signature play of solids and voids, particularly with the use of a lightweight spider leg which rests on a heavy brick base at the entrance. The T-shaped footprint locates the front door at the head of a straight, linear entry. Concerns over the durability of cement plaster on studs in wet and winter climates led to the selection of cedar sheathing. The climate was also a consideration in the use of radiant heating in the basement which eliminated the need for expensive double-glazing. To accommodate Kraigher’s desire for 9-foot-tall ceilings, Neutra ordered special plywood that was longer than the standard 8-foot sheets. Neutra also created a design according to Kraigher’s requests for a specific size—1,900 square feet, not including the garage—and for contrasting stains of both light and dark wood. Despite their long history working together, an apparent distrust between the client and architect led to conflicts during the construction process, including over Kraigher’s requests that his contractor insert a post into what Neutra had designed as a mitered glass corner and add a hip roof to accommodate snow loads.

Adapted from Neutra – Complete Works by Barbara Lamprecht (Taschen, 2000), p. 340.