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Written by pliadmin on September 16, 2017 in Art & Artifacts

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Celebrating Barbara Neski’s Modernist Legacy on Long Island

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Barbara Neski earlier this week. As a pioneering woman in architecture, she helped transform modern domestic design and left an enduring mark on Long Island’s built environment.

Neski was one of the first women to graduate from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design with a Master of Architecture in 1952, finishing a three-year program in just two years. In an era when women in architecture were often overlooked, she persevered, working for legendary designers like Marcel Breuer before co-founding Neski Associates with her partner and husband, Julian Neski.

Together, they designed many modernist vacation homes, many on Long Island. The houses were known for being relatively inexpensive to build and easy to maintain. Their work helped define the modernist aesthetic of Long Island’s beachfront communities, blending simplicity with bold design.

As we reflect on her extraordinary career, we celebrate the path she forged for women in architecture and her lasting contributions to Long Island’s architectural heritage.

Images:
1. Barbara Neski and husband Julian. From Weekend Utopia by Alistair Gordon
2. The Sabel House in Water Mill. Courtesy Architectural Record, May 1971
3. Neski House in Water Mill. From Weekend Utopia by Alistair Gordon

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Celebrating Barbara Neski’s Modernist Legacy on Long Island

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Barbara Neski earlier this week. As a pioneering woman in architecture, she helped transform modern domestic design and left an enduring mark on Long Island’s built environment.

Neski was one of the first women to graduate from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design with a Master of Architecture in 1952, finishing a three-year program in just two years. In an era when women in architecture were often overlooked, she persevered, working for legendary designers like Marcel Breuer before co-founding Neski Associates with her partner and husband, Julian Neski.

Together, they designed many modernist vacation homes, many on Long Island. The houses were known for being relatively inexpensive to build and easy to maintain. Their work helped define the modernist aesthetic of Long Island’s beachfront communities, blending simplicity with bold design.

As we reflect on her extraordinary career, we celebrate the path she forged for women in architecture and her lasting contributions to Long Island’s architectural heritage.

Images:
1. Barbara Neski and husband Julian. From Weekend Utopia by Alistair Gordon
2. The Sabel House in Water Mill. Courtesy Architectural Record, May 1971
3. Neski House in Water Mill. From Weekend Utopia by Alistair Gordon ... See MoreSee Less

4 days ago

likes love 13
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Spotlight on Womens History: Architect Olive Tjaden (1904–1997)

If a woman’s place is in the home, she should have the privilege of planning and designing that home. — Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1936

Olive Tjaden was a pioneering architect who designed hundreds of homes in Garden City and beyond. A Cornell graduate and one of the first female members of the American Institute of Architects, she built a thriving career at a time when few women worked in the field.

At just 24, Tjaden designed and built her own home in Garden City, which became a hub for her social and professional networks. She even topped it with a weather vane depicting herself atop a T-square—an enduring symbol of her groundbreaking career!

📷 Pictured:
1. Portrait of Young Olive Tjaden
2. Her house in Garden City
3. Tjaden overseeing the construction of her home

Photos courtesy Olive Tjaden Papers, Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library

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Spotlight on Women's History: Architect Olive Tjaden (1904–1997)

"If a woman’s place is in the home, she should have the privilege of planning and designing that home." — Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 1936

Olive Tjaden was a pioneering architect who designed hundreds of homes in Garden City and beyond. A Cornell graduate and one of the first female members of the American Institute of Architects, she built a thriving career at a time when few women worked in the field.

At just 24, Tjaden designed and built her own home in Garden City, which became a hub for her social and professional networks. She even topped it with a weather vane depicting herself atop a T-square—an enduring symbol of her groundbreaking career!

📷 Pictured:
1. Portrait of Young Olive Tjaden
2. Her house in Garden City
3. Tjaden overseeing the construction of her home

Photos courtesy Olive Tjaden Papers, Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

likes 10
Shares: 2
Comments: 1

1 CommentsComment on Facebook

About Us

Preservation Long Island is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization. Our mission is to celebrate and preserve Long Island’s diverse cultural and architectural heritage through advocacy, education, and the stewardship of historic sites and collections.

Working to raise awareness, appreciation, and support for the protection of a shared past, our program areas include: interpreting historic sites; collecting art and material culture pertaining to Long Island history; creating publications and exhibits; and providing direct support and technical assistance to individuals and groups engaged in local preservation efforts.

Preservation Long Island, 161 Main Street, P.O. Box 148, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724

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