Through the lens: photographer Mike Schwartz celebrates Richard Meier’s Smith House

The Smith House was one of Richard Meier’s most seminal commissions, propelling the famous American architect’s career when it was built in 1967; it is considered as one of the great architectural masterpieces of the 20th century to this day. 2017 was the 50th anniversary of the house’s completion and to mark the occasion the Smith family and architectural photographer Mike Schwartz have just released a new set of photographs of the iconic home.
The house, which we visited in Wallpaper* March 2016, employs all the architectural hallmarks of Meier’s work, helping him to build his distinct architectural language of large, open-plan spaces, bright white volumes, large openings, grids and natural light.
‘I was working out of one room of a two-room apartment shortly after leaving the office of Marcel Breuer. One day I had a call from Carole Smith asking if I would be interested in designing a weekend house for her in Darien, Connecticut. She was looking for a young architect who would give full attention to her house’, recalls Meier, who upon visiting the site discovered that due to the landscape’s rocky nature the solution was building upwards, instead of spreading out in the horizontal. ‘This was the beginning of the design process’, he says.
Schwartz’s camera records the house’s magnificence, the way it sits on the Connecticut coast and how it relates to the striking nature around it. Inside, there is a clear separation between public and private spaces, with the former being outward-facing and open, and the latter composed of cellular, protected areas behind an opaque façade, pierced with windows.
‘I can't believe it's been 50 years since I first experienced the Smith House’, says owner Chuck Smith. ‘I was only five years old then, but the childlike wonder I felt then comes back to me every time I walk up the ramp, inside the door, and feel Richard Meier’s design.’
2017 marked the 50th anniversary from the house’s completion.
This commission helped Meier build his distinct architectural language of large, open plan spaces...
...bright white volumes, large openings, grids and natural light.
Part of Meier's architectural solution for building in the rocky site was going vertical instead of horizontal.
Inside, there is a clear separation between public and private spaces, with the former feeling open, while the latter are more closed off and secluded.
The property’s layers of intersecting bright white planes frame the area’s surrounding foliage.
The house sits in Connecticut's picturesque Gold Coast, situated by the small lakeside town of Darien.
INFORMATION
For more information visit the website of Richard Meier & Partners
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Step inside this Upper East Side jewel box apartment
This radiant Lexington Avenue home is a harbinger of good things for the Upper East Side, and the latest focus of The Inside Story, our series spotlighting intriguing and innovative interior design
By Anna Solomon Published
-
A new hilltop California home is rooted in the landscape and celebrates views of nature
WOJR's California home House of Horns is a meticulously planned modern villa that seeps into its surrounding landscape through a series of sculptural courtyards
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Is a tiny tattoo the best holiday souvenir? Kimpton Hotels think so
In partnership with Tiny Zaps, Kimpton Hotels is bringing city-inspired tattoo pop-ups to five U.S. locations
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
A new hilltop California home is rooted in the landscape and celebrates views of nature
WOJR's California home House of Horns is a meticulously planned modern villa that seeps into its surrounding landscape through a series of sculptural courtyards
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The Frick Collection's expansion by Selldorf Architects is both surgical and delicate
The New York cultural institution gets a $220 million glow-up
By Stephanie Murg Published
-
Remembering architect David M Childs (1941-2025) and his New York skyline legacy
David M Childs, a former chairman of architectural powerhouse SOM, has passed away. We celebrate his professional achievements
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The upcoming Zaha Hadid Architects projects set to transform the horizon
A peek at Zaha Hadid Architects’ future projects, which will comprise some of the most innovative and intriguing structures in the world
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s last house has finally been built – and you can stay there
Frank Lloyd Wright’s final residential commission, RiverRock, has come to life. But, constructed 66 years after his death, can it be considered a true ‘Wright’?
By Anna Solomon Published
-
Heritage and conservation after the fires: what’s next for Los Angeles?
In the second instalment of our 'Rebuilding LA' series, we explore a way forward for historical treasures under threat
By Mimi Zeiger Published
-
Why this rare Frank Lloyd Wright house is considered one of Chicago’s ‘most endangered’ buildings
The JJ Walser House has sat derelict for six years. But preservationists hope the building will have a vibrant second act
By Anna Fixsen Published
-
Buy a slice of California’s midcentury modern history with this 1955 Pasadena house
Conrad Buff II Residence has been fully restored and updated for the 21st century
By Jonathan Bell Published