I don't know about you, but I'm really not feeling great about things at the moment. I could really use an escape hatch. And what is a Folly if not an escape? Especially a tiny escape from the world where one can focus on the beauty of nature and forget about everything else. Ulrich Franzen, a mid- century modern architect and Nazi refugee, who was especially adept at designing both Follies and fortresses, feels incredibly relevant right now.
The Fortress Guy
So, who is Ulrich Franzen? Although he studied under the Bauhaus impresario, Gropius, at Harvard's Graduate School of Design, he is not as well-known as some of his peers despite his considerable portfolio of work. He was born in Dusseldorf, Germany in 1921. His father was a respected writer, literary critic and sociologist and his mother was a psychologist. Eric Franzen was an avowed anti-fascist who was not only terrified of Hitler's rise to power but also by the acceptance of Hitler's message of hate by his fellow countrymen. According to some reports he fled Germany in 1934 (1), but other sources state that the family fled Germany in 1936, landing first in Cuba and then in the US in 1938. (2) Perhaps the parents immigrated separately? Eric Franzen taught at Miami University from 1940-1942 but Ulrich's mother, Lisbeth Hellersberger, taught psychology at Wagner college in Staten Island from1942-43 before working in private practice in New Haven. At some point Lisbeth and Eric divorced. Ulrich and his younger brother continued to live with their mother.
Ulrich attended Williams College for his undergraduate degree and attended architecture school at the Harvard Graduate School of Design for one semester before joining the US Army during WWII. After the war he returned to study at Harvard under Walter Gropius and became part of the group of young architects who spread the influence of modernism and the Bauhaus aesthetic. He received his master's degree (in architecture) in 1950 and immediately went to work for I.M. PEI for four years before starting his own practice in 1955. He is most well-known for his "fortress-like" commercial buildings such as the East and West towers of Hunter College in New York City or the Philip Morris Headquarters, also in New York City. His first major project was the Alley Theater in Houston, Texas completed in 1968. While it was hailed by critics, the locals hated this Brutalist building. Coincidentally, the Brutalist towers connected by glass bridges he designed for Hunter College also received mixed reviews.
But Also the Folly Guy
Surprisingly, given the Brutalist tendencies of his commercial buildings, Ulrich Franzen's homes are glass pavilions that focus on nature and light. They almost all feature natural materials such as wood ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glass highlighting a view or garden, very much in the style of Marcel Breuer, Eliot Noyes, and other mid-century architects. His sculptural ceilings that appear to float above the walls, however, differentiate his work from that of his peers. His home in Rye, Connecticut (see below) features an unusual diamond shaped wood ceiling and was published in Architectural Record in its inaugural issue of 1956.
This four-bedroom home (below) dating from 1959 in York, Pennsylvania features wood barrel vault ceilings similar to the sculptural ceilings in his own home. While the house appears timeless in 2024, it was considered too modern in 1959, especially to the locals who apparently hated it.
Naturally, one of my favorite aspects of this project is the bar. As room divider...
The Folly at Field Farm: The Ultimate Escape
The Folly at Field Far is his most perfect project, in my opinion.
This tiny gem of a guest house sited on the banks of a small pond on an estate in the Berkshires was designed for Lawrence and Eleanor Bloedel as a glamorous warming hut for skaters to warm themselves at the fire. (And perhaps enjoy a cocktail.) The main house designed by Edwin Goodell in 1948, is also a classic mid-century modern home and is now run as a bed and breakfast by the Trustees of the Reservation.
What makes The Folly so special is that all the furnishings and lighting were designed by Ulrich Franzen as well, making it a sort of gezamtkunstwerk or total work of art. Designed and built in 1965 it utilizes classic New England shingle on its exterior, but the interior is classic mid-century modern with wood ceilings and walls, slate floors, paper pendants and fur carpets. The main sitting room features giant sliding glass doors highlighting views of Mt. Greylock and a giant brick fireplace. Miraculously the interior remains almost 100% intact down to the built-in blender in the counter of the yellow Formica kitchen. I like to think this blender was used for Brandy Alexanders or maybe a Pink Lady.
The lighting in the house is quite dramatic and sophisticated for the era. There is almost no overhead lighting, other than the paper pendant above the dining table. Most of the lighting is uplighting built into the furniture, which creates a soothing glow throughout the Folly. With the exception of the view of Mt. Greylock, the folly is very inward focused with few windows and most of the natural light coming from skylights.
Moment of Zen
These dramatic lighting effects not only create the perfect backdrop for this unusual hanging sculpture by artist George Rickey, but also create a warm glow throughout the cottage that is similar to firelight.
If you can afford it, now is probably the time to get the hell out of Dodge. But for those of us stuck in a country heading back to the Middle Ages, find yourself a Folly to hide away from the world (after you've stocked up on fluoride toothpaste, that is.)
While you can't stay in this particular folly, you can spend the night at the main house at Field Farm. It is a spectacular venue situated in the middle of 300 acres in the Berkshires, and the Folly is open for tours to guests of Field Farm upon request. https://fieldfarm.org/about-us#folly
Thirsty for More? Get the recipe for the End of Days cocktail here
Notes
1." I Bore Witness, Eric Franzen," Miami University Library Publications, Shawn Vanness, 2020 Accessed 10.05.2024 2.Wagner College Faculty Biography for Dr. Elizabeth Hellesberger.
3.Vitello, Paul "Ulrich Franzen" New York Times, 2012 Shoppables
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