Ira Rakatansky (October 3, 1919 – March 4, 2014) was a

modernist Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

from, and based in,

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

. He studied

modern architecture Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architectur ...

under

Walter Gropius Walter Adolph Georg Gropius (; 18 May 1883 – 5 July 1969) was a German-born American architect and founder of the Bauhaus, Bauhaus School, who is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modernist architecture. He was a founder of ...

and

Marcel Breuer Marcel Lajos Breuer ( ; 21 May 1902 – 1 July 1981) was a Hungarian-American modernist architect and furniture designer. He moved to the United States in 1937 and became a naturalized American citizen in 1944. At the Bauhaus he designed the Was ...

at the

Harvard Graduate School of Design The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) is the graduate school of design at Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It offers master's and doctoral programs in architecture, landscape architecture, urba ...

Life and work

Ira Rakatansky was born in Rhode Island to Russian emigrants to America, Benjamin and Martha (Bornstein) Rakatansky. In 1942 Rakatansky received a Diploma in Architecture from

Rhode Island School of Design The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD , pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase th ...

. He entered the architecture school at Harvard in 1943. In 1945 and 1946 he received his Bachelor of Architecture and his Master of Architecture degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Rakatansky was awarded the

Wheelwright Prize The Wheelwright Architecture Prize (formerly known as the Arthur C. Wheelwright Traveling Fellowship) is an international architecture traveling fellowship presented annually to "talented early-career architects worldwide proposing exceptional iti ...

to work on his master's degree at Harvard. In 1946 Rakatansky established an independent practice within the office of architect Samuel M. Morino. In 1948 he established a collaborative practice with engineer Samuel Lerner before establishing his own practice in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

in 1949. In 1965 he was president of

AIA Rhode Island AIA or A.I.A. or Aia may refer to: Aia * Aia, a small town in the province of Gipuzkoa, Spain * Peñas de Aya, small mountain range in Oiartzun, Gipuzkoa * Aia, current Kutaisi, ancient capital of Colchis * Aia, another name for Aea (Malis), an ...

, a chapter of the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...

Chronology of work

Works built: * 1947, Halsband House,

East Greenwich, Rhode Island East Greenwich is a New England town, town and the county seat of Kent County, Rhode Island, Kent County, Rhode Island. The population was 14,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. East Greenwich is the wealthiest municipality within ...

* 1948, Medical Office Building, Providence, Rhode Island * 1948, Miller House, Providence, Rhode Island * 1948, Weinstein House, Providence, Rhode Island * 1949, Camp Walt Whitman Dining Hall,

Pike, New Hampshire Pike is a small unincorporated community within the town of Haverhill, New Hampshire, United States. It is located in western Grafton County, approximately east of the village of Haverhill, on Oliverian Brook. The village was named after Alon ...

* 1949, Reversible Chair * 1949, Weisberg House,

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...

* 1950, Horn House,

Rehoboth, Massachusetts Rehoboth is a historic town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1643, Rehoboth is one of the oldest towns in Massachusetts. The population was 12,502 at the 2020 census. Rehoboth is a mostly rural community with many ...

* 1950, Wax House, Providence, Rhode Island * 1950, Feingold House, Providence, Rhode Island * 1950, Zitserman House, Providence, Rhode Island * 1951, Blanding House,

Greene, Rhode Island Greene is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the western part of the town of Coventry, Rhode Island. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 888. It is east of the Connecticut border and the same distance north o ...

* 1952, Osburne House,

Hampton, Connecticut Hampton is a New England town, town in Windham County, Connecticut, Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The populatio ...

* 1953, Blanding's Pharmacy, Providence, Rhode Island * 1953, Pollock House,

Attleboro, Massachusetts Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It was once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers. According to the 2020 census, Attleboro had a population of 46,461. Attleboro is ...

* 1954, Falk House,

Narragansett, Rhode Island Narragansett is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 14,532 at the 2020 census. However, during the summer months the town's population more than doubles to near 34,000. The town of Narragansett occupie ...

* 1954, Rakatansky House,

Lincoln, Rhode Island Lincoln is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,529 at the 2020 census. Lincoln is located in northeastern Rhode Island, north of Providence. Lincoln is part of the Providence metropolitan statistica ...

* 1954, Spring Green Memorial Church,

Warwick, Rhode Island Warwick ( or ) is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States, and is the third-largest city in the state, with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Warwick is located approximately south of downtown Pr ...

* 1955
Dunn House

Lexington, Massachusetts Lexington is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located 10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Boston. The population was 34,454 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The area was originally inhabited by ...

* 1955, Franeck House, East Greenwich, Rhode Island * 1955, Rosen House,

Pawtucket, Rhode Island Pawtucket ( ) is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 75,604 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making the city the fourth-largest in the state. Pawtucket borders Providence, Rhode Island, Prov ...

* 1955, Starr House, Lexington, Massachusetts * 1955, Ziskind House,

Middletown, Rhode Island Middletown is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,075 at the 2020 census. It lies to the south of Portsmouth and to the north of Newport on Aquidneck Island, hence the name "Middletown." History Issue ...

* 1955, Renovations to Broad Street Synagogue, Providence, Rhode Island * 1956, Miller House, Providence, Rhode Island * 1957, Rogers House,

Weekapaug, Rhode Island Weekapaug () is a census-designated place in southern Washington County, Rhode Island, United States, part of the town of Westerly. The population was 425 at the 2010 census. History "Weekapaug" is a Narragansett word meaning "at the end of t ...

* 1957, Rogge House,

Stamford, Connecticut Stamford () is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, outside of New York City. It is the sixth-most populous city in New England. Stamford is also the largest city in the Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, Weste ...

* 1957
Shipyard Drive-in Theatre
Providence, Rhode Island * 1958, Blieden House, Warwick, Rhode Island * 1958, Levin House,

Woonsocket, Rhode Island Woonsocket ( ), is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 43,240 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Being Rhode Island's northernmost city, Woonsoc ...

* 1958, Myers House and Office, Providence, Rhode Island * 1958
Rakatansky House
Providence, Rhode Island * 1958, Temple Beth Am, Warwick, Rhode Island * 1958, Ten Pin Lanes Bowling, Providence, Rhode Island * 1959, 15 Meeting Street, Providence, Rhode Island * 1959, Caldarone House,

North Providence, Rhode Island North Providence is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 34,114 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the Town of North Providence has a total area of , of which ...

* 1960, Atlantic Bowling,

East Providence, Rhode Island East Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 47,139 at the 2020 census, making it the fifth-largest city in the state. Geography East Providence is located between the Providence and Seeko ...

* 1960, Baker House, Providence, Rhode Island * 1960, Greenwood Nurseries, Warwick, Rhode Island * 1960, Simon House, Providence, Rhode Island * 1961, Reck House, Acapesket, Massachusetts * 1962, Meadow-Glen Twin Drive-In,

Medford, Massachusetts Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. At the time of the 2020 United States census, Medford's population was 59,659. It is home to Tufts University, which has its campus on both sides of the Medford and Somervill ...

* 1962, Burnight House,

Barrington, Rhode Island Barrington is a suburban, residential town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States, approximately southeast of Providence. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 17,153. Barrington was founded by Congregationalist separ ...

* 1963, Waring House,

Virgin Islands The Virgin Islands () are an archipelago between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and northeastern Caribbean Sea, geographically forming part of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, Caribbean islands or West Indie ...

* 1964, Church of God and Saints of Christ, Providence, Rhode Island * 1967, Teamster Administration Building, Providence, Rhode Island * 1968, Chisholm House, Barrington, Rhode Island * 1968, Gravdahl House,

Jamestown, Rhode Island Jamestown is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 5,559 at the 2020 census. Jamestown is situated almost entirely on Conanicut Island, the second largest island in Narragansett Bay. It also includes the uni ...

* 1968, Harper House,

Little Compton, Rhode Island Little Compton is a coastal town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, bounded on the south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by the Sakonnet River, on the north by the town of Tiverton, Rhode Island, Tiverton, and on the east by the t ...

* 1969, Aber House,

Tiverton, Rhode Island Tiverton is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 16,359 at the 2020 census. Geography Tiverton is located on the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay, across the Sakonnet River from Aquidneck Island (also ...

* 1969, General Wine Company Warehouse, Providence, Rhode Island * 1970, Collier House, Little Compton, Rhode Island * 1971, Bishop Plummer House,

Suffolk, Virginia Suffolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. As of 2020, the population was 94,324. It is the List of cities in Virginia, 10th-most populous city in Virginia, the largest city in Virginia by bou ...

* 1971, Connecticut Laborers' Union,

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

* 1971, Patterson House,

* 1972, Connecticut Laborers' Union,

West Haven, Connecticut West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located on the coast of Long Island Sound. The city is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, South Central Connecticut Planning Region. At the 2 ...

* 1974, Glifford House,

Matunuck, Rhode Island Matunuck () is a village in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, located near Charlestown. It is located on a point along the southern Atlantic coast of Rhode Island off U.S. Route 1. Geography and attractions The area is home to several notable be ...

* 1975, Peterborough Convalescence Homes,

Peterborough, New Hampshire Peterborough is a New England town, town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,418 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The main village, with 3,090 people at the ...

* 1976, Persimmon Restaurant, Providence, Rhode Island * 1978, Arnold House,

* 1979, Brown University Faculty Club addition, Providence, Rhode Island * 1980, Church of God and Saints of Christ, Suffolk, Virginia * 1980, Starr-Naylor House,

Brookline, Massachusetts Brookline () is an affluent town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and part of the Greater Boston, Boston metropolitan area. An exclave of Norfolk County, Brookline borders six of Boston's neighborhoods: Brighton, Boston, Brighton ...

* 1981, Rakatansky Office Addition, Providence, Rhode Island * 1982, Bishop Plummer, Jr. House, Suffolk, Virginia * 1983, Saber House, Barrington, Rhode Island * 1984, New England Laborers' Training Academy (Dining Hall),

Pomfret, Connecticut Pomfret is a town in Windham County, Connecticut with a population of 4,266 according to the 2020 United States Census. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. It was incorporated in 1713 and was named after Pontefract ...

* 1985, Church of God and Saints of Christ (sanctuary addition), Suffolk, Virginia * 1985, New England Laborers' Training Academy (dormitory), Pomfret, Connecticut * 1986, Holocaust Memorial, Providence, Rhode Island * 1986, Slepkow House, Providence, Rhode Island * 1988, New England Laborers' Training Academy,

Hopkinton, Massachusetts Hopkinton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, west of Boston. The town is best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, held annually on Patriots' Day each April, and as the he ...

* 1992, Rosen House,

Pawcatuck, Connecticut Pawcatuck ( ) is a village and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Stonington which is located in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,624 at the 2010 census. It is located across the Pawcatuck River from ...

References

Bibliography

External links

The Design Office - Ira Rakatansky project
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rakatansky, Ira 1919 births 2014 deaths 20th-century American architects Modernist architects from the United States Architects from Providence, Rhode Island American people of Russian-Jewish descent Jewish architects Rhode Island School of Design alumni Harvard Graduate School of Design alumni