The Umbrella House: Calculated Relaxation
Designed for Philip Hiss in 1953, Paul Rudolph’s Umbrella House looks like an elaborate sunshade that just so happens to have a house underneath. With a pool deck that takes up more length than the actual residence, the Umbrella House is a hybrid of tropical relaxation and modern design.
• STRUCTURE. The 17-foot parasol, combined with its adjacent two-story home, gives the Umbrella House a lofty effect reminiscent of a sumptuous seaside resort.
• MATERIAL. The framework of the house works hand-in-hand to reveal a connection to modern design and nature. The thin woodwork still shows that this is a work of minimalism, while the spaces in between allow sunlight to trickle through.
• SPACE. The generous amount of space permeating both the inside and outside of the Umbrella House serves two purposes. It appeals to Paul’s spacious view of modernism and offers uninterrupted views.