Smyth, Urquhart & Marckwald: A New Breed of Designers
The SS United States was no exception to the Mid-Century Modern style wave. Her exterior sleekness of form, designed specifically for speed and safety, and bright, bold colors, epitomized stylistic attributes of modernism, while the vessel’s interiors were fitted for both luxury and function.
While Elaine Kaplan was diligently working on United States’ propulsion design, there was another group of women working on the future interior design of the ship. The all-female design company of Smyth, Urquhart & Marckwald were contracted to tackle the monumental task of the SS United States’ interiors. Ocean liners were something of a specialty for these women, which gave them a large step up when it came to meeting the rigid requirements that were put in place for this newest ship. The number of compartments alone was intimidating with 26 public rooms, 674 staterooms, and 20 luxury suites. This prodigious task was compounded by the edict that no flammable materials could be used.
Anne Urquart (left) and Dorothy Marckwald (right) at the bow of SS America. Photo by Wilbur Pippin.
William Francis Gibbs, architect of the SS United States, required the interiors of the SS United States to prioritize safety and function over design and luxury. Learning from past incidents, Gibbs demanded that no wood be used throughout the ship, although some exceptions were granted, including Steinway mahogany pianos, after instruments customized in aluminum were rejected. Even these items were uniquely designed in a way to make them fire-resistant. Gibbs knew fire at sea was one of the single most dangerous situations for any ship, let alone a passenger liner carrying almost 2,000 people. By instituting strict regulations for the interior design of the SS United States, Gibbs ensured the safety of his passengers, but generated new challenges - and opportunities - for the ship’s interior designers.
Dorothy Marckwald and Anne Urquhart were just the women to tackle this job. While the third female owner of their firm, Miriam Smyth, ran the business and took non-maritime jobs, Marckwald and Urquhart had made a name for themselves decorating a variety of luxury liners, including the SS United States’ sister ship, the SS America . The duo also had worked on Grace Line’s four liners assigned to them in 1930.
The work on the SS America, while a monumental job all on its own, was excellent practice for the demands of the SS United States. America’s interiors were made of 90% fireproof materials; this number would grow to 100% for her larger sister. Because of this, the designers had already experimented with new materials such as aluminum, fiberglass, Dynel (a synthetic fiber), and Marinite (an asbestos-laden foam board). The inclusion of Dynel was particularly useful as it could be made into textiles that retained their true hues, was pleasing to look at, and remained fireproof.
Their previous shipboard work had also given them valuable experience working with abnormally shaped spaces, as ship hulls are notoriously not straight and tend to curve in ways buildings do not. Quite famously, Marckwald insisted that the supports for the ballroom on the SS America be modified to accommodate their design, facilitate smoother passage by guests, and change the visual perception of the space. She worked with the builders at Newport News Shipbuilding to integrate the new supports into their design so they appeared to not exist as structural supports at all. All of this meant that when they were called upon to work on the SS United States they had a multitude of arrows in their quiver and were poised for success.
The First Class Dining Room is a prime example of Smyth, Urquhart, and Marckwald’s design expertise, with Gwen Lux’s Expressions of Freedom soaring over passengers as they dined. Courtesy of the Conservancy’s Mark B. Perry Collection
What Marckwald and Urquhart produced on the SS America and SS United States was unique, modern, and a complete change in style from what was found on from earlier liners. Where there had been a heavily masculine appearance to most earlier ships, there was now an emphasis on contemporary, modern comfort. On the SS America, there was a mix of the Streamline Moderne, Art Deco, and classic elements of American Modernism with a dash of 1930s Hollywood film set home décor. There were also elements that anticipated the mid-century style that would become fully fledged in the SS United States. The result was a timeless feel aboard the SS America that enabled her interiors to remain virtually unchanged for her 39 years of service. Even after her transformation into a troop transport ship during World War II, her interiors were recreated and reinstalled as close to the original as possible.
Beyond their contributions to the United States Lines, Dorothy Marckwald and Anne Urquhart were trailblazers for another reason. They not only led the way for female interior designers, they centered women’s experiences in their work. Marckwald once said, “Although the idea of women decorating ships was then quite unheard of, it is not without reason. For many passengers are women, and no man could ever know as much about their comfort problems and taste reactions as another woman.” That mentality was reflected in many ways; down to the small details, such as a full length mirror in each cabin and wardrobes suitable for floor length dresses.
It is important to note, that while all these women broke down societal barriers, and their work was key to the success of the United States, the long standing superstitions around women on ships, and the general disdain for women working around shipyards was by no means dead and gone. When asked why he continued to work with Smythe, Urquhart & Marckwald, ship designer William Francis Gibbs stated, in jest, “I prefer known horrors to unknown ones.”