P R O F I L E | W R I T E R ' S S T U D I O
W R I T T E N B Y J E N N T H O R N T O N
In the woods of New England, the Writer's
Studio by Eric J. Smith is a paean to purity
and the creative process.
Poetic Form
PHOTOGRAPHS
COURTESY
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DURSTON
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aving worked prolifically with
more traditional typologies,
from Cape Dutch to Georgian
to French, Writer's Studio—600 square
feet of exquisite, undiluted design in
forested Connecticut—marks a return
to striking modern form for New York
City architect Eric J. Smith. His client: a
published poet positively predisposed to
the essential qualities of Thoreau's cabin
in the woods. Smith's task was to refine
the rustic with a piece of architecture
similar in feeling—simple, pure, with a
sense of persistence. No allegiance to a
particular time but strong ties to place.
"Clarity was the goal," says Smith of
creating a building with no ambiguity.
When entering the space the impression
is one of compression, emphasized by
ceilings set slightly lower than the 8-foot
standard. "It can be very compressive
to try and organize your thoughts,"
explains Smith of the choice. But once
past the corridor of bookshelves hosting
the owner's 1,700-volume library of
verse, he adds, one arrives inside the
glass box—an "explosion of space
where it's just you, a chair, and a table.
There's nature all around and a beautiful
180-degree view."
Cantilevered over a bluff, the design
capitalizes on its proximity to the natural
world, mimicking its character with a
limited palette of materials including
oak, stone, and glass. The latter material
is engineered to open, sliding into the
rock walls, though the largest pane is
fixed and weighs nearly a ton. The glass
makes for an experiential space of all
seasons, one that welcomes in blasts of
winter light and shade from the growth of
spring. That there are no visible modern
systems to thin the effect is a credit to a
series of decisions, from Smith installing a
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geo-thermal heating and cooling system
that requires no exterior equipment, to
the installment of lighting that is recessed
into the reveals where stone wall meets
oak plank ceiling. No trim or molding is
used. "When you look at the materials,
you see it all," says Smith.
PREMISED ON
THOREAU'S
CABIN IN THE
WOODS, THE
WRITER'S STUDIO
BY ERIC J. SMITH
IS A DESIGN
COMPOSED
IN ITS SPIRIT,
WITH LIMITED
MATERIALS AND A
SENSE OF PURITY.
ENCASED IN THE
STRUCTURE IS
A LIBRARY WITH
THE OWNER'S
EXTENSIVE
COLLECTION OF
POETRY.
