On Site at Manitoga: The Russel Wright Design Center

PennDesign Architecture students recently visited Manitoga, the house, studio and 75-acre woodland garden of famed mid-century American designer Russel Wright in upstate New York. The visit was part of a studio with Associate Professor Andrew Saunders, who is spearheading an initiative for PennDesign students to design a visitors pavilion for the grounds at Manitoga. Here, Joanna Ptak (M. Arch ’18) shares her highlights of the experience.

 

 

I think the site demonstrates a design that relates to and respects its environment; the landscape and architecture is all manmade, but not intrusive and serves to inspire and educate its visitors. There are important lessons to be learned from Manitoga about architecture and landscape management, design integration, reclamation, and communication.

 

 

Our studio semester has been dedicated to Russel Wright's design as a precedent. In fact, prior to the site visit, we spent the previous two months analyzing, studying, and designing containers and pavilions for Manitoga based on the designer’s ceramics and pottery pieces. But up until the site visit, my only impressions of the Design Center came from websites, photographs, maps, and word of mouth, so I was most looking forward to experiencing firsthand Wright's own meticulously crafted landscape and architecture, and how his personally designed environment influenced his products.

 

 

I think the most surprising aspect was the extent of the tranquil ambiance. It was probably due to a mixture of the autumn colors and Wright’s design intention— which cannot be fully understood until experienced. The Design Center is currently a small remote space surrounded by trees and foliage. Since I’m originally from New York City, my typical art exhibition experience has been surrounded by a more congested and urban atmosphere, so to view the designer's studio, home, and exhibited pieces in such calmness and serenity was the most pleasantly surprising aspect of the trip. 

 

 

I can’t recall ever visiting a landscape and architecture that seemed so seamlessly immersed to each other in their surroundings. The house and studio frame and integrate the exterior stones, trees, and plants, while the environment overgrows and compliments the architecture.

 

 

Russel Wright literally lived his design and philosophy. I think that is a profound statement to make as a designer. Such intensity and attention to subtle nuances, mood, and detail is certainly reflected in his work. Needless to say, my level of appreciation for Wright’s architecture and design definitely increased.