5 Fascinating Facts About The Mirrored Tomb Of Architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen
The mirrored tomb of architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen is more than just a final resting place; it is a profound and striking piece of modernist architecture that continues the master's legacy. Completed after his passing in 2021, this unique mausoleum in Delaplane, Virginia, has become a pilgrimage site for architecture enthusiasts and a poignant tribute to one of America's most celebrated designers.
As of December 24, 2025, the structure remains an ethereal, almost invisible presence on the landscape, reflecting the surrounding nature and embodying the elegant, minimalist principles Jacobsen championed throughout his career. This article delves into the life of the man and the extraordinary design philosophy behind his final, reflective monument.
The Life and Legacy of Hugh Newell Jacobsen (1929–2021)
Hugh Newell Jacobsen was an American architect whose elegant, minimalist style defined a generation of modern residential design. His work, characterized by its clean lines, white-painted wood, and pavilion-like structures, earned him global recognition and a reputation for sophisticated simplicity. His influence on modern architecture is undeniable, having designed over 400 houses and received more than 100 design awards throughout his distinguished career.
- Full Name: Hugh Newell Jacobsen
- Born: March 11, 1929, in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Died: March 4, 2021 (Age 91)
- Education: University of Maryland (B.Arch), Yale University (M.Arch)
- Architectural Style: Modernist, Minimalist, known for white-painted wood, gabled forms, and clean, geometric lines.
- Practice Founded: 1958, practicing under his own name.
- Key Projects:
- The home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis on Martha's Vineyard.
- The Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center at the University of Maryland.
- Numerous embassies and residential projects published worldwide.
- Notable Honors: Over 100 design awards, including the Centennial Award (the highest honor) from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Washington Chapter.
- Legacy: His firm, Jacobsen Architecture, LLC, is continued by his son, Simon Jacobsen.
Jacobsen was a prolific designer who believed that architecture should be both contextual and timeless. His signature style often involved breaking down a large structure into a series of smaller, gabled pavilions, a technique that gave his homes a monumental yet approachable quality. This philosophy of simple, pure forms is ironically and fittingly carried through to his own final monument.
The Ethereal Design of the Mirrored Mausoleum
Following Hugh Newell Jacobsen’s death in 2021, the task of designing his final resting place fell to his son, Simon Jacobsen, who continues the family's architectural legacy. The resulting structure—a mirrored mausoleum—is a breathtaking example of post-mortem architectural tribute, perfectly capturing the spirit of Hugh’s work while introducing a dramatic, modern twist.
The mausoleum is located on the family's farm property in Delaplane, Virginia, a rural enclave west of Washington, D.C. This location became their home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clad in Invisible Glass: The Starphire Secret
The most striking element of the tomb is its cladding. The pavilion is sheathed entirely in single pieces of Low-E Starphire mirrors. Starphire glass is an ultra-clear, low-iron glass known for its exceptional clarity and lack of the green tint found in standard glass. This material choice is crucial to the design's effect.
The mirrored surfaces reflect the surrounding Fauquier County landscape—the trees, the sky, the changing seasons—making the structure appear to dissolve into its environment. It is a monument that is simultaneously present and invisible, a profound architectural statement on permanence and impermanence.
Simon Jacobsen ensured the mausoleum was constructed using many of his father's unique construction details and methods, making it a final, intimate collaboration between father and son. The structure houses Hugh Newell Jacobsen's ashes, serving as a quiet, reflective space for family and admirers.
A Modernist's Final, Poetic Statement
The mirrored tomb is a powerful piece of architectural poetry, directly engaging with the themes that dominated Hugh Newell Jacobsen’s career: light, reflection, simplicity, and the relationship between a structure and its site. It stands as a testament to the enduring power of minimalist design.
1. The Illusion of Absence
The use of the Starphire mirror creates an illusion of absence. On a sunny day, the pavilion can be nearly impossible to distinguish from its surroundings, camouflaged by the perfect reflection of the sky and trees. This contrasts sharply with traditional mausoleums, which are typically heavy, opaque, and deliberately monumental. Jacobsen's tomb is monumental in its clever use of light and space, not mass.
2. The Reflection of Time and Nature
The mirrored surface ensures the tomb is a constantly changing piece of art. It reflects the life and decay of the natural world—the budding of spring, the lushness of summer, the fiery colors of autumn, and the stark white of winter. This dynamic quality means the structure is never static, always in conversation with the passage of time, a fitting metaphor for an architect whose work sought timelessness.
3. A Continuation of the Pavilion Style
The mausoleum itself is a simple, gabled pavilion, a signature element of Hugh Newell Jacobsen’s residential designs. By using this familiar form, Simon Jacobsen paid homage to his father's architectural vocabulary, essentially creating a perfect, distilled version of a Jacobsen house. It is a home for the soul, designed in the very language the architect had mastered.
4. The Connection to Delaplane, Virginia
While Jacobsen had initially requested to be interred at Christ Church Georgetown, the move to the Delaplane farm during the pandemic created a deep connection to the new landscape. The mirrored tomb celebrates this final, rural chapter of his life, making the farm the true and final resting place that honors his later-life connection to the land.
5. A Pilgrimage for Taphophiles and Architects
The unique nature of the mirrored tomb has made it a point of interest for "taphophiles" (those interested in cemeteries, tombs, and gravestones) and architecture students alike. It is a rare example of a contemporary, non-traditional memorial that successfully integrates high-modernist design principles into funerary architecture, sparking discussions about how to honor great designers in a way that reflects their own creative spirit.
The mirrored tomb of Hugh Newell Jacobsen is a powerful conclusion to an extraordinary career. It is a structure of immense quietude and profound reflection, a perfect final monument for the man who taught the world the elegance of simplicity.
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