Hugh Jerome Smallen Jr. (May 6, 1919 – June 11, 1990) was part of the second wave of modernist architects to live and practice in

New Canaan, Connecticut New Canaan () is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,622 according to the 2020 census. About an hour from Manhattan by train, the town is considered part of Connecticut's Gold Coast. The town is bounde ...

Early life

Smallen was born on May 6, 1919, in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. He decided to pursue a major in architecture at

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

against his father’s will. His education was interrupted when he was needed in World War II where he served as an aerial photographer. Smallen received his degree in architecture from

in 1948. And in 1949 he attended the Institute of Design in Brooklyn. He then began his architectural career in the New York office of the renowned firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. In 1950 the New York native felt his time there had expired.

Career

He moved to

New Canaan New Canaan () is a New England town, town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,622 according to the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. About an hour from Manhattan by train, the town is considered part of G ...

with his wife Kathryn and opened his own architectural and design consulting office, Hugh Smallen & Associates. That same year, he opened a contemporary furniture store called “Design Collaborative” with the help of his wife. His interior design work included many projects for IBM. In 1952 the design of his shop was displayed in the “De Stijl” exhibit in the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...

. Smallen believed in a utilitarian way of living and these beliefs are reflected in his designs. Smallen’s designs are often characterized by their wide range of building materials including the use of wood, brick, cement, steel and stone which helped achieve a simplified way of living. Smallen continued his work in architecture and interior design up until his death on June 11, 1990, at Sarasota Memorial Hospital,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Work

* Tatum House,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smallen, Hugh 1919 births 1990 deaths American military personnel of World War II Yale University alumni Architects from New York City 20th-century American architects People from New Canaan, Connecticut Architects from Connecticut