An aerial of '
Oheka', the
Otto Hermann Kahn estate designed by
Delano & Aldrich c. 1915 in
Cold Spring Harbor. Click
HERE and
HERE for more on '
Oheka'. This aerial is part of SMU's
Robert Yarnall Richie Collection and was taken between 1932-1934. Click
HERE to see 'Oheka' on google earth and
HERE on bing.
8 comments:
In all the annals of scale, this facade of Oheka is one of the oddest examples. Looking at this photograph, one sees a lovely, nicely designed French manor house beautifully proportioned, typical of many of the era, EXCEPT, of course, the scale is huge--distorted far beyond what the particular style demands or can support, resulting in what, up close, becomes uncomfortable in its effect. One remembers Delano's own remarks and misgivings about the about the design and general hugeness of the whole affair---if I
remember correctly he even had something to say about the proportion of the house to Kahn's ego?
Viewed from a distance, in the winter, it made a lovely ruin.
Ancient,
Yes it did, although even with the ugly addition, it's good to see it come back.
another pic of the mansion
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/alad:@field(NUMBER+@band(mhsalad+160074))
Quite a magnificent aerial view of a gorgeous estate and manor house. It seems to be a house with 9 lives.
Did I just write in the previous post that Harbor Hill was my favorite? Well Oheka embodies the same qualities for me. Sensational siting with a masters hand at long range vistas and unique landscaping. The water parterres are simply incredible even today. The proportions and scale are right in harmony between manor house and manmade building platform. The masonry detailing throughout is beautifully executed. The steeply pitched roofline with built in waviness captures a pedigree of age the home did not have. Even the entrance tower and gatehouses are just so well designed that they can stand on their own merits. In total, a spectacular estate that fortunately has been reborn. NYarch
Alright, since nobody else saw fit to do this I will...
Eureka! It's Oheka!
There. Got that off my chest.
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