A hexagonal kitchen would be unique even today, but for the September 1969 issue of House Beautiful, then-editor Sarah Tomerlin Lee featured a design that was well ahead of its time. The Skyview Kitchen, designed by architect Raymond D. Reed, was part of his family home when he took a position at Iowa State University.
Reed, a Harvard grad known for his energy-efficient homes and great love of the outdoors, designed the kitchen as a space that would allow multiple people to comfortably mingle and cook. This was essential for Reed, as he and his wife had four small kids when they moved in.
A Creative Solution to a Small Space
While not large, the creatively shaped space allows for a sense of openness. The hexagonal design, only six feet in diameter, eliminates sharp corners and creates the appearance of more space.
Whenever an architect plans for his own family, he can be more adventurous in his design. Reed’s decision to design a compact kitchen in the shape of a hexagon was a deliberate choice to alleviate a sense of enclosure.
Bringing in the Outdoors
The grandeur of nature is part of this kitchen. The skylight admits a flood of constantly changing daylight and at night provides light from fluorescent tubes recessed behind the fascia below the roof. Clouds, stars, and floodlit trees all add their beauty to the space.
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Opening the ceiling with a huge skylight is another device to enlarge the vista in what is essentially a very small space. This design choice not only brings in natural light but also creates a sense of connection to the unique home surroundings.
A Lasting Legacy
The Skyview Kitchen was featured in the September 1969 issue of House Beautiful as part of an “idea tour” of five new houses that broke the mold. The issue, which showcased contemporary and unexpected designs, highlighted the Skyview Kitchen as a punctuation mark at the end of the issue.
Today, the Skyview Kitchen remains an example of innovative design and a demonstration of creative problem-solving in architecture.
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