hangri La was not only a home of beauty, but also of technical marvels of which the descending glass wall in the Living Room is perhaps the most remarkable. Operated electrically by an Otis Elevator system, the glass wall was both conceptually and technologically innovative when it was installed in 1938. The beauty of the surrounding landscape, as well as the Playhouse and pool, are visible regardless of the wall’s position. When the wall disappears, a dynamic blending of interior and exterior spaces occurs that is typical of much of Shangri La’s design.
In the Living Room, several of Shangri La’s most significant ceramics are visible, including the Veramin mihrab. Other notable wares include luster plates, basins, and tiles made in Spain, which Doris Duke purchased in the early 1940s at the sale of the Hearst collections. The fireplace mantle was also part of the sale. These purchases prompted Duke to renovate the Living Room, altering the original appearance as conceived by Moroccan designer Rene Martin.
View more objects custom-made for Shangri La by Rene Martin
View objects Doris Duke purchased at the Hearst Sales
Spanish lusterware at the Metropolitan Museum of Art