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| My 60 second sketch of Courtland Smith as I remember him... |
Court had the persona of a classical architect, like someone out of the Fountainhead. He acted the part and dressed the part. He wasn't pretentious or arrogant in the Hamptons sort of way. I suppose because he was a native of the area he didn't have to act like a snob pretending to be a local. Court was old school and hated how the Hamptons was developing so fast, I suppose he believed the work he was doing did not contribute to this growth (I didn't say he was perfect) However Court did love architecture, that was never in question, the money and the business was secondary. He could have gone into business for himself but chose not to rather wanting to concentrate on design. We once asked him what was his favorite piece of architecture and he named the Lever House in Manhattan. Now I don't know the ages of my readers but some of you who have been around will say ah, yes, very nice. For you younger types who only know the jello fluid architecture of today the Lever House was a ground breaking piece of architecture. I should research before I say any more but it is my understanding that this was the first building in the modern curtain wall style to be built.
Gordon Bunshaft (as I recall) was the head designer who worked for SOM at the time. Bunshaft also designed a house in East Hampton in the Georgica section which is kind of cool. Rumor had it Martha Stewart bought it after it sat unoccupied for some time. When we asked Court who his favorite architect was, he said he had none (maybe he said FLW I don't recall) but as far as local architects go he praised Norman Jaffe. "He's the only architect out here worth his salt, doing the only worth while work". Court's lanky body and wavy snowy white hair would come shuffling to work rain or shine always dressed pretty much the same way, black shoes, slacks, white shirt, funky tie and in the fall and winter he sported a textured blazer. His ties really fascinated me (please no Freudian jokes) They were vintage, well maybe not for him since when he bought them 50 years ago they were in style. I spoke to him about it , yes the ties, and he told me he loved his ties, they were his artistic expression. Now architects seem to hate ties opting for the Steve Jobs look or Dieter of Sprockets. (well in the Hamptons maybe the Ralph Lauren look)
One strange tie he owned seemed to have hair, and looked like it needed a hair cut. I have searched high and low for similar vintage ties and cannot find them anywhere. The ties of today lack charm, and character, maybe its a reflection of society. Who knew a tie could be so revealing? Maybe one day I'll do an expose on Court's ties, however I'm sure they are all gone by now. Court would go up to his drafting table sit down and start the day. No chit chat, no socializing he just sat down to start his work. We all had drafting tables for sketching but we all had computers as well, except for Court. Court still hand drafted until the day he died. Like Richard Lear his drawings were artistic, you could frame any one of them. Not only did court not use computers he did not use a calculator either preferring to do long math on sketch paper. Such a fine draftsman Court was that during the depression years when there was no work for architects Court drafted a map of Long Island which you may be familiar with. These maps hang in many restaurants, bars, visitor centers and are quite beautiful. He was living in Manhattan during the 30's and would come out to Southampton to visit his mom and work on the map. He said the damn thing took forever and he wished he had reversed the top and bottom of the design.
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| Courtland map found displayed in many public places. (I'm assuming NY) |
Court was a detail-er for sure, he could spend hours on a particular part of a drawing and often did to the chagrin of office management. Court however could not be pressured to move faster, it took what it took. Court and I had a strong liking for each other. Even after we left the office Court would recommend people to me for architectural services. Back in the office he would often call me over to his desk and ask me to look at some problem and give my opinion on it. When someone had a problem he would try to help and always finish with the same quip, " In a 100 years from now it won't matter anyway." His trade mark your welcome was "Prego". He often called himself a cosmologist and we shared many a talk. He fascinated me with stories about the time he spent in Alaska. He said it was so quiet and surreal with the sun never setting that it could drive a man mad. To pass the time he would write poetry and he recited some of it to us. It was bizarre but in a good way. I suppose the creative mind in a desolate place can respond in mysterious ways. According to him, his time in Alaska was his most memorable. That's something to consider since he worked all around the world from Paris (where he met his Dutch wife) to Rome, Africa and the Manhattan project, I would say that is pretty impressive.
Court also provided some entertainment in the office with his verbal sparring. During our employment together in Southampton another fellow architect worked with us who I need to bring into this discussion. I mentioned him in my night out articles you may recall as "W". Now "W" was a real character, he could talk to you until the cows came home, he loved pretentiousness, gossip or scuttle butt and had a semi eccentric personality. W, was Court's junior although he was already 65 at the time just at the ripe old age for retirement. I loved both of these odd fellows and a book could be written about either of them. They sometimes got into fierce arguments with neither of them backing down. The most memorable encounter I witnessed was after some heated back and forth which ended with Court's parting words, "If you only knew half of the things you proclaim to know you would be an" Fing" genius!" To which W responded "go back under the rock you crawled out from under...." The next day they would be friends again. So maybe you are wondering OK nice stories, not really, did he design some famous persons house out in the Hamptons? Maybe. I really don't give a damn, you haven't told me anything really special except for this old timer who worked until he died at age 95. You're right, not many will care, and that is a shame. I care because I relish dreams and legends. I want to live in the world as described by American mythologist Joseph Campbell. Court lived in that kind of world, a real Howard Roark in a time when architecture and architects were the stuff of legends.
I could go on and on about this man but there is no need to. Maybe someday I will give you a complete biography on the person, famous work included, maybe not. His career came to an end, not by his own choice but because a much younger management thought it was time to end his tenure even though he still had all his mental and physical faculties about him, I guess he just wasn't fast enough for them. That was the end of Court and "W" for that matter. Although W did open his own practice from home. We were heartbroken, it was the end of an era. A year or so later I left as well, management opting to hire a Psychopath in place of W and Court. The Hamptons can be a tough place at times (voted as one of the top 10 unfriendliest places in the country by Conde Naste) but it's not all bad it's just going through a phase change. Once upon a time, not to long ago, lived a man from a by gone era when architecture was the stuff of legend and one day it will be so again. Maybe you could still see Court walking up and down Hampton Road in the gloomy rain which he loved but in spirit only, he passed away a few years ago. He is missed and as a fellow architect I can appreciate this man who loved architecture so much he worked almost (if he would have been allowed) up until the day he died. Southampton would do well to honor such a person.
Lewis Portal
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