Myron Goldfinger’s Legacy: Circle, Square, Triangle Exhibition at PRIMA

Circle, Square, Triangle: Myron Goldfinger’s Architectural Legacy

Myron Goldfinger, a notable architect, died last year. A month before his passing, his wife, June Goldfinger, asked him about the essence of his architecture. He simply replied, “Circle, square, triangle.” His response inspired the title of an exhibition about his work, “Circle, Square, Triangle: Houses I Never Lived In,” held at the Paul Rudolph Institute for Modern Architecture (PRIMA) in New York. The exhibition runs until March 22, 2025.

Goldfinger’s designs, characterized by geometric shapes, primarily showcase residential projects built in upscale suburbs and vacation areas around New York City. The exhibition displays an array of his architectural documents, including drawings, models, and photographs, many of which were preserved in his archives. His archives have recently moved to PRIMA’s location on East 58th Street.

June Goldfinger plays a crucial role in the exhibition, aiding PRIMA in organizing her husband’s extensive work. Goldfinger enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with June, who acted as the interior designer on many of his projects. Together, they aimed to digitize and preserve his architectural legacy.

The exhibition highlights significant projects, reflecting Goldfinger’s evolution as a designer. His house in Waccabuc, Westchester County, marked his early style and gained recognition in the architectural community. It was featured in a prominent publication and eventually led to humorous portrayals of his work.

Goldfinger’s later projects included the Matkovic house, which displayed curving forms reminiscent of boat hulls, a nod to his father-in-law’s shipping business. His designs evolved to include elements like the circle, incorporating unique shapes into his work. Each project reveals his ability to blend personal vision with client needs, creating functional and visually appealing spaces.

The exhibition showcases a diverse range of materials, including construction drawings and staged photographs, illustrating the holistic process of architecture from design to completion. Graduate students from the Pratt Institute created models for projects missing physical representations, honoring Goldfinger’s teaching legacy.

The intent of the exhibition is to explore the human aspect of architectural design. Myron Goldfinger’s work reflects a celebration of its inhabitants, instead of solely focusing on the physical spaces. June emphasizes the importance of the people who reside in his creations. The exhibition continues to highlight his commitment to humanistic architecture.

In addition to the main exhibition, a concurrent display titled “Circle, Square, Triangle: A World I Wanted to Live In” showcases Goldfinger’s public and unrealized projects at the Mitchell Algus Gallery in New York.