The Dirsmith Group

1953–
1979
the
Dirsm
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PLAYBOY
ARCHITECTURE
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roup
A NOTE FROM
THE ARCHITECT
“I would like this place to be something
that nobody else has, and everybody can
dream of having: a fantasy land, a dream
land, just like my own philosophy about
Playboy magazine.”
“And when it is finished it should look as
though it had been here forever.
Remember ... whatever you show me is
the minimum I expect at the end.”
“You have no other restrictions !”
With these words, Hugh M. Hefner strode over
to the waiting limousine ... one of 6 long black
stretch limousines for “Hef” and his “special
friends” ... and sped off to LAX where he and
his entourage of old buddies, sidekicks, gofers,
runners and lissome beauties would board
Hefner’s DC-9 “Big Bunny” jet for their flight
home to Chicago.
As we stood there, watching the train of
limousines roar down the driveway of the
sprawling Statham Estate in the rarefied enclave
of Holmby Hills, California, the sheer magnitude
of what lay ahead began to hit us.
We were about to embark upon the first of the
most extraordinary and challenging design
opportunities of our entire lives. Little did we
know then, that it would continue on for more
than a quarter of a century.
The Playboy Corporate Office Building
919, Nort Michigan Ave / Chicago Illinois
The Playboy Corporate Offices
919, Nort Michigan Ave / Chicago Illinois
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Museum of The National Academy of
Design and Fine Arts in New York, founded in
1825, is the oldest professional arts association
in the United States. It has recently acquired for
its permanent collection a portfolio of 102 prints,
drawings and photographs of the work of
The Dirsmith Group as part of the Academy’s
notable collection of pre-eminent American
architecture, design and art. 18 are images of
The Playboy Mansion and other unique projects
for Hugh M. Hefner.
The Playboy Mansion Garden
Overal design concept plan
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion
Holmby Hills California
Aerial rear garden, before
The Playboy Mansion
10236, Charing Cross Road
Holmby Hills California
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion
Holmby Hills California
Aerial rear garden, after
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion Grotto
Photo, and building site
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion Waterfall
Photos, and building site
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion Garden
Photos, and the design concept sketches,
for the animal habitats and giant squirrel
monkey flight cage with 2 story penthouse
apartment for Yogi Bear, The Wooley Monkey
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion
Design concept sketches
Master bedroom suite
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion
Photo bed controls
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion Garden
Design concept sketches
2 story penthouse apartment for
Yogi Bear, The Wooley Monkey
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion Garden
Design concept sketches
Pool, Grotto section
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion, interior
Spiral Stair Panel, Bed enclosure,
Pilasters and lighting panel
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion, interior
Private study work alcove
Detail of 256 special pull out sculptured
storage trays (English brown oak)
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Mansion, interior
Private study work alcove
Design concept sketches,
woodworks and sculptures
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Playboy Club, doors
Original model casting of scuptured doors
Bruce Fink, sculptor
The Playboy Club, club and bunny costume
Chicago Illinois
Ron Dirsmith, design architect
The Dirsmith Group
Colophon Exhibition
The Dirsmith Group, headed by Suzanne and
Ron Dirsmith, is an architecture firm dedicated
to landscape, architectural and environmental
design. The firm and its principles have
received numerous awards, including the
Rome Prize. The Museum of The National
Academy of Design and Fine Arts in New
York has recently acquired for its permanent
collection a portfolio of 102 prints, drawings
and photographs of the work of The Dirsmith
Group as part of the Academy’s American
architecture collection, including 18 images
of projects for Hugh M. Hefner. Their designs
for Playboy include the corporation’s Chicago
offices, Hugh Hefner’s private jet, and the
famous Grotto at the Playboy Mansion West,
Los Angeles.
NAiM / Bureau Europa Maastricht (NL)
PlayboyArchitecture1953–1977
29 September 2012–10 February 2013
De Dirsmith Group, geleid door Suzanne en
Ron Dirsmith, is een architectuurbureau dat
zich richt op landschapsarchitectuur. Het
bureau heeft vele prijzen gewonnen waaronder
de Prix de Rome.
Het Museum of the National Academy of
Design and Fine Arts in New York heeft onlangs
een portfolio aangeschaft met 102 tekeningen,
schetsen en foto’s van het werk van de Dirsmith
Group, waaronder 18 beelden van projecten
gerealiseerd voor Hugh M. Hefner.
Hun ontwerpen voor Playboy bestaan uit onder
andere de kantoren in Chicago, Hugh Hefners
privévliegtuig en de beroemde Grotto als
onderdeel van de Playboy Mansion West in
Los Angeles.
Curatorial Team
Beatriz Colomina
Director, Ph.D. Program in Architecture,
Princeton University;
Britt Eversole
Ph.D. Candidate, Princeton University
School of Architecture;
Federica Vannucchi
Ph.D. Candidate, Princeton University
School of Architecture;
Margo Handwerker
Ph.D. Candidate, Princeton University
School of Architecture
with: Pep Aviles; Marc Britz; Daria Ricchi,
Ph.D. Candidates, Princeton University
School of Architecture
Design Team
Exhibition design by EventArchitectuur
Graphic design by Experimental Jetset
Realization
Landstra & de Vries i.c.w. Brand,
Broek & Erkens
Production
Buro Floor
Thank you
Joseph Bedford, Suzanne and Ron Dirsmith,
Daniela Fabricius, Ming Stylemeister, Yetunde
Olaiya, Olivier Otten, Molly Steenson, Enrique
Ramirez and Vanessa Grossman.
NAiM / Bureau Europa is structurally subsidized
by The Province of Limburg and the Municipality
of Maastricht. This exhibition has been made
possible thanks to the financial support of
The Netherlands Architecture Fund and the
SNS REAALfonds.
The Playboy Club, club and bunny costume
Chicago Illinois
Bruce Fink, sculptor doors
Ron Dirsmith, design architect