A WEEK OF ART & DESIGN IMMERSION IN PHILADELPHIA

For practitioners as well as connoisseurs of architecture and design, the city of Philadelphia and its countryside offer many an inspiration through numerous museums and gardens

- Satarupa Paul

At first glance, the small, simple and slightly lopsided stone house with a sloping red roof and a concrete column, looks almost inconspicuous through the thicket of tall trees. Especially if you’ve been driving through the verdant countryside of Philadelphia and feasting your eyes on the sprawling estate mansions that occupy generous plots of land amidst the undulating, wooded landscape. But step inside the seemingly unremarkable house, and you’ll be transported to a fantastical world of art, design and craftsmanship that will leave you with awe and admiration. This is the studio of famed sculptor and furniture designer Wharton Esherick, and as part of the larger Wharton Esherick Museum, it’s designated as a National Historic Landmark for Architecture in the US.

It is also one of the many significant bastions of art and architecture in and around Philadelphia that make the lively city and its beautiful countryside a veritable paradise for lovers of all things design. Over a week here, I spent endless hours wandering through many magnificent museums and picturesque gardens, trying to soak in as much of the design and art inspirations that were on offer. Of the ones that left the most indelible impression on me, I detail the must-visits below:

WHARTON ESHERICK MUSEUM