T H E M U S E U M O F M O D E R N A R T U WeST 5 3 R D STREET, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE CIRCLE 7 - 7 4 7 1

For immediate release

FIRST ALL-METAL PRIVATE HOUSE IN AMERICA TO BE SHOWN

AT EXHIBITION OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE AT MUSEUM OF

MODERN ART MHwaa

Outer Walls Faced With Aluminum

The first all-metal private house built in America, with

outer walls faced with aluminum, will be one of the striking

new types of homes on view at the International Exhibition

of Modern Architecture, organized by the Museum of Modern Art,

New York, which opens to the public at

on •

The house was designed as a home for Wallace K. Harrison,

one of the architects of Rockefeller Centre, at Syoseet,

Long Island. The architects were A. Lawrence, Kocher and

Albert Frey.

The house was designed especially to meet the needs of

present-day living* It was so devised as to give betfc-er

light and air with mechanical conveniences and efficiency

of arrangement, unusual in the country dwelling.

The aluminum which faces the outside walls is in the

form of sheets' slightly ribbed so as to break glare and to

caro for expansion and contraction in varying temperatures.

The aluminum is backed with insulation that makes its

three-inch wall moro effectivo in excluding hot and cold

than the customary heavy masonry. Windows of ultra-violet

pOR INFORMATION AFTER MUSEUM HOURS :

TELEPHONE : A R BLACKBURN. JR. REGENT 4 - S 7 5 8 OR HELEN f. McMILLIN : CIRCLE 7 - 5 4 3 4

glass extend tho entire width of rooms to mako them as well-

lighted as the sun porch* Privacy is maintained by shades-..

The main living rooms are above the ground level, reached

by a short flight of stairs. The ground floor serves for en­

trance, hallway, heater room and garage. There is also a

porch within the ground area that is related to the garden.

The living room floor, which corresponds to a second floor

of the usual house, commands an advantageous view of the

garden by reason of its upper level. The main living room

is duplex and extends through the width of tho house with one

end entirely glazed from the floor to a ceiling height of

17 feet. At the other end is a dining area which can,

if desired, be converted into additional living space.

The bedroom, exercise room and bathroom are separated by

a folding partition. When this partition is pressed back,

one enjoys the outlook of a window 22 feet in length. This

makes one room of a three-room suite, with ample space for

circulation.

More than half of the ground area covered by the house is

regained by means of a flat roof which serves as a luxurious

garden terrace. It is partly covered and partly open to the

sky. The supports for the terrace roof frame the view in

three directions*

The house has no supporting outside walls as is the case

in the usual brick-built dwelling. The supports are six slender

columns that are within tho area of the house. These columns

uphold cantilever beams from which the outside walls are

suspended. The structure of the house is largely of aluminum

beams or girders that in turn support a steel-deck floor, in­

sulated and surfaced with rubber and linoleum flooring,

Tho architects point out that the house is constructed of

materials readily available as standard and in a manner that

is a complete departuro from tradition. "The styles of the

past are disregarded in an attempt to attain convenience, ease

in living, attractiveness of outlook and a logic of quiet and

pleasant oxistanco/1 says Mx»« Kocher.

yuseum of Modarn Art XI vaat 53rd 3traat *«« York c i ty

for immediate relaee

FIRST ALL-MSTAL PRIVATE H0U8K IN AM3RI0A TO B3 SHOW* AT

3XHIBITI0H Of 18UDKHH AKOHITSCTUHS AT I4U8SUW Of 1I0DSRH ART

Outar walla Fa$tt With Aluminum

The f l rat a l l - n a t a l private houae bu l l i In America, with outar walla

faced with aluminum, w i l l ba one of tha atriking new typaa of momes on .

tiea at tha Exhibition of Modern Architecture wioh opana to the public fu^y,^

at the MWNWi <** -nai MM i t l j 11 West MrH i t n e t , on Wsdmoaaayi Febi 10*

The houae waa dcal§nea\ aa a home for Wallace K. Harrison, one «f the

trohitecte of Raits fllty, At Syoseet, Long Island. Tha arahltecta were

A, Lawrenoo Itoeher and Albert Frey.

Tha houaa waa Aealgned especial ly to meat the needs of present-day

l iving. I t waa so devised aa to give beater l ight and air with mechanical

conveniences and eff iciency of arrangement, unusual** in the country dwell*

ing.

the aluminum which faoaa tha outside walls la in tha form of sheets

sl ightly ribbed ao aa to break glare and to care for expnneion and contract­

ion in varying temperatures, The aluminum i s backed w^th insulation that

makes i ta three-inch wall mora ef fect ive in exeluding^hoft and cold than

the customary heavy mason*?. Wlndowa of ultra-wiolet glaas extend the

entire width of rooms to make them aa wall-l ighted aa the sun porch,

Frlaacy Is maintained by ehadea.

The main l iv ing rooms are above the ground l e v e l , reached by a short

f l ight of s t a i r s . Tha ground floor serves for entrance, hallway, heater

room and garage. T&ere ia also a porch within the ground Area that ia

related to tha garden. The l iv ing room f loor , which corresponds to a

second f loor of the usual houaa, commands an advantageous blew of the

garden by raeeon of l ta upper l e v e l . The main l iv ing rows ia duplex and

extenda through the width of the houae with one end entirely glased from

the floor to a aai l ing hieght of 17 faat . f t the other end i s a dining

area which can, If desired, ba converted into additional l iv ing apace.

The bedroom, exeroiae room and bathroom are separated by a folding

partit ion. Whan this part i t ion ia P*faaod b<LOk> o n 0 « n J o y i the outlook

-I-

ot a window St fast In lsngth. Tikis makes ona room of a three-room smite,

flth ample spaea for circulation.

Mors than half of tha ground area covered by tha housa is regained

by means of a flat roof waaoh aervee as a lururious garden terrace. It

is partly covered and partly open to tha sky* The supports for ths

terrace roof frame ths blew In three directions.

The house has no supporting outsids walls as Is ths oaae in the uaual

trlck-bullt dwelling* Hie supports axe six slsadsr oalumne thst srs within

the area of the house* These columns uphold cant1leverbwame from which

the outside walls ars euepended. The structure of the houss Is largely

of aluminum beams or girders that in turn support a steel-deck floor, in­

sulated and surfaced with rubber and linoleum flooring*

The architects polgt out that the houae la constructed of material,

readily available as standard and in a manner that la a complete departure

ram tradition* "The styles of the past are iiaregaried In an attempt to

attain convenience, eass in living, attractiveness of outlook and a logic

of quiet and pleaaant existence," says Mr. Keener,

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