‘Learning From LongHouse’

Jack Lenor Larsen has channeled 25 years of creative energy into the house, sculpture, gardens, and overall landscape of the LongHouse Reserve, his residence and public preserve in East Hampton. 

Now, he is sharing some of what he learned, the tried and true, the abject failures, and all of the insights he gained from them in “Learning From LongHouse.” The book, which functions as a scrapbook and vision board, has a beautiful and thoughtful design, illustrated by plenty of archival and current images that document the evolution of the place.

Asked earlier this year what one might learn from LongHouse, Mr. Larsen said the house and grounds can teach you why it is better “to be less conformist and consider alternatives. You don’t have to do it like your parents did it.”

He began his experiments at RoundHouse, an adjoining property that was inspired by African huts. A shrine at Ise, Japan, was the genesis of LongHouse, a place he designed to showcase more art.

When he is thinking about a new space or altering a current one, he wants to know what the options are, and ultimately, he said, “what’s more fun?”

Known for continuously shaking things up, whether it is LongHouse’s rotating outdoor sculpture installations, annual design and craft exhibits, or other site-specific performances and installations, he said, “Some people are comfortable knowing things aren’t going to change. I always think there are better ways to do it, welcoming the new and the old.”

The book is published by Pointed Leaf  Press, with a dense cardboard binding and plenty of color illustrations that demonstrate his unique approach to design.