See more objects with the tag architects, architecture, presentation drawing, glass, World's Fair, pre-fabrication, cubes.

See more objects with the color darkolivegreen dimgrey darkgrey dimgrey rosybrown or see all the colors for this object.

Object Timeline

-0001

1940

  • Work on this object began.

1988

  • We acquired this object.

2013

2014

2025

  • You found it!

Drawing, Design for Sportshack

This is a Drawing. It was drafted by Unknown and from the office of Donald Deskey. It is dated 1940 and we acquired it in 1988. Its medium is brush and gouache, black ink, airbrush over stencil, graphite on illustration board. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.

Sportshack was Deskey’s earliest foray into the field of prefabricated housing. Like many 1930s and 1940s design drawings, this compelling piece was executed in airbrush, an adjustable-spray technique that misted paint over a stencil to produce a slick, almost mechanical appearance.

This object was featured in our Object of the Week series in a post titled Living Modern.

This object was donated by Donald Deskey. It is credited Gift of Donald Deskey.

  • Print, Design for the Ten-Deck House
  • mimeograph print, brush and blue watercolor on white paper.
  • Museum purchase from Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program....
  • 1991-53-1
  •

Our curators have highlighted 11 objects that are related to this one. Here are three of them, selected at random:

  • Chair (USA)
  • slumped plate glass, metal, textile.
  • Museum purchase through gift of George R. Kravis II and from General....
  • 2013-1-1
  •

Its dimensions are

H x W: 55.9 × 76.2 cm (22 × 30 in.) H x W (Mat): 71.1 × 91.4 cm (28 × 36 in.)

It has the following markings

Black gummed label, lower right: DONALD DESKEY / 630 FIFTH AVENUE / NEW YORK CITY; in black ink, verso: DONALD DESKEY / 630 FIFTHAVENUE / NEW YORK CITY; manufacturer's stamp in brown ink, verso: WHATMAN / DRAWING BOARD / H. Reeve Angel & Co., Inc., New York City

It is inscribed

Inscribed in graphite, center on verso: 9007 [underlined] / 13

Cite this object as

Drawing, Design for Sportshack; Drafted by Unknown; Office of Donald Deskey (American, 1894–1989); USA; brush and gouache, black ink, airbrush over stencil, graphite on illustration board; H x W: 55.9 × 76.2 cm (22 × 30 in.) H x W (Mat): 71.1 × 91.4 cm (28 × 36 in.); Gift of Donald Deskey; 1988-101-1515

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Making Design.

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page.

For higher resolution or commercial use contact ArtResource.

If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://www-4.collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18624533/ |title=Drawing, Design for Sportshack |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=10 March 2025 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>