Smith House

By Richard Meier

Course: Aesthetic Theories of Architecture

Semester: Fall 2021
Instructor: Dr. Janan Mustafa
Student name: Salihah Banu
Student ID: 2019114054

(Schwartz, 2018)
Introduction:
The smith House is a three-story house designed by Richard Meier
and built between 1965-1967 in Darien, Connecticut, U.S.A.. It is in a
rocky piece of land with lots of evergreens and dramatic slopes.

The cubic volume of the building was created in such a way to contrast
with the surrounding trees & hillside. The front façade consists of
large openings which host public spaces and the back faced has small
openings which host private spaces. This creates a separation of (Schwartz, 2018)
public and private spaces.

Materials used in the building are; wood, glass, structural steel & brick
for fireplace.

(Wikiarquitectura, n.d.) (Badalge, 2018)

(Schwartz, 2018)
Analyzing the principles
relative to building
Daylight
Most of the sunlight comes through
the southeast façade which has the
greatest number of glass window
openings. The Northeast & Southwest
façade receives moderate amount of Figure 2. Southeast Elevation with glass windows.
sunlight. The northwest Façade (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)

receives the least amount of sunlight

as it has the least number of openings. Figure 1. Site Plan with sun path.
(Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)

Light Penetrating the living room. (Schwartz, 2018)

Figure 3. Section with light penetration. (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)
Plan to Section Connection
Second floor
Bedroom Bedroo Bedroo Bedroom
m m

First floor Master

Lobby Living Lobby Bedroom
Room

Kitchen
Dining Ground floor Bedroom Garage
Kitchen
Room

Section AA Section BB
Figure 4. Sections showing G.F., 1st F & 2nd floor with labeled spaces . (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)

Figure 5. Plans with section lines (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)
Circulation
Ground Floor has 4 entrances:
1. Through the porch
2. Into the garage
3. Into kitchen
4. Into the stairs

First floor has 2 entrances:

1. Main entrance into lobby through bridge Horizontal Circulation
2. Through terrace from the circular stairs Vertical Circulation

connecting the natural ground to the first floor. Entrance Points

Second floor can only be accessed through stairs.

Figure 6 . Plans showing circulation (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)
Repetition to unique

Garage

Figure 7 . Plans showing variety of rectangles & unique shapes (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)

Repetition:
Squares & rectangles of different sizes in plans and
elevation
Unique:
• U shaped stairs
• Diagonal in garage.
• Long rectangular bridge
• U stairs with one curved corner which becomes sharp
on the second floor
Figure 8 . Elevation showing the repetition of rectangles and unique stairs
(Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)
Unit to whole

Figure 9 . Plans showing unit and wholes (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)

Ground Floor: First Floor: Second Floor:

The whole is the Rectangle with units of
rectangles and squares of different sizes
within itself. Other units of square,
semicircle and smaller rectangle extruding
out of the whole.
The whole is the Rectangle with units of
rectangles and squares of different sizes
within itself different from the G.F.. Other
units of semicircle and liner rectangle
extruding out of the whole.
The whole is the Rectangle with units of
rectangles and squares of different sizes
within itself different from the G.F. & 1st F.

Elevation:
In the main Elevation of the building, The whole
is the huge rectangle within which there are
units of smaller rectangles. Also, there is a
square and a long rectangle extruding out of the
whole.

Figure 10 . Elevation showing unit and wholes (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)
 Symmetry & Balance

Figure 11 . Plans showing Symmetry and balance(Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)
Symmetry:
There is no sense of symmetry in plans or in the elevation
Open spaces
of the main facade
Confined spaces
Balance:
Plans: Stair
• Open public spaces on the top and balancing them with confined
private spaces in the bottom.
• Stairs in the top left and balancing it with other stairs in the bottom
right.

Elevation:
Sense of balance is created through gradual use of rectangular shapes.
Longer rectangles in the left. Long and wide rectangle in the center. Small
squares in the right.

Also, the long chimney is balanced out with the liner horizontal roof. Figure 12 . Elevation showing symmetry and balance(Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)
Additive & Subtractive

Additive

Subtractive

Figure 13 Plans showing addition & subtraction (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)

Ground Floor: First Floor: Second Floor:

The ground floor has addition and subtraction The first floor has addition and subtraction as The second floor has addition and subtraction
as a porch. an indoor balcony on the right as an indoor and outdoor balcony on the right.
 Hierarchy

Figure 14 Plans showing hierarchy of shapes (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)
Ground Floor:
The most important shape is the huge rectangle
within which there are rectangles of different
sizes. The next most important shape is the
semicircle of the stairs. Then there's the square
for garage and rectangle for the fireplace
First Floor: Second Floor:
Just like the G.F., the most important shape is the The most important shape on the 2nd Floor is the
huge rectangle within which there are rectangles rectangle in which there are other rectangles of
of different sizes. The next most important different sizes.
shapes if the semicircle of the stairs and unlike
the G.F. there’s the liner rectangle of the bridge.
The Least important shape is the rectangle of the
fireplace.
Elevation:
In the main Elevation of the building, the most
important shape is the Rectangle of the building
itself. Then there is a long slender rectangle of
the chimney. Then there are many rectangles
and squares of different sizes, the most
important being the rectangle in the middle and
the square that hosts the garage.

Figure 15. Elevation showing Hierarchy of shapes (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)
Geometry & Parti
Geometry: The plans and elevations are made
up of only geometric shapes. Shapes such as
Rectangles, Squares & Semicircles.

Parti: The architect used 2 rectangular shapes

on top of each other. One rectangle for Public
spaces and another for private spaces. He
kept some space between the two rectangles
for circulation. Vertical Circulation opposite
to each other on left and right. A bridge
connecting the first floor to the natural
ground. He created indoor balconies and
some spaces with double volume to bring an
element of the ups and downs of the hill side
into the interior. This way the public spaces
could have views into the other public spaces.

Figure 17. Plans showing geometrical shapes (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)

Stairs

Public

Private Stairs

Bridge
Figure 18. Elevation showing Geometric shapes (Meier & partners, n.d.) (Author, 2021)
Figure 16. Sketch showing Part Diagram (Author, 2021)
Conclusion
The architect have combined many elements and principles in a unique and modern way to
achieve a beautiful design that is also functional according to the clients needs. The plans are
simple with solutions that were new for the time it was built in. The elevations are clean and
transparent to maximize the views from the building. Overall, the building has a special
characteristic to itself which has inspired many modern and contemporary architects.
References
Keshia, Badalge. (2018). AD Classics: Smith House / Richard Meier & Partners. Reterived from:
https://www.archdaily.com/889769/ad-classics-smith-house-richard-meier-and-partners
Schwarz, Mike. (February 28, 2018). AD Classics: Smith House / Richard Meier & Partners, Retrieved from
https://www.archdaily.com/889769/ad-classics-smith-house-richard-meier-and-partners
Wikiarquitectura (n.d.). Smith House. Retrieved from https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/smith-house/