The Miller House

The Miller House Midcentury Modern

 

Richard Neutra highly influenced the customization of the house owners when designing their houses, so much so that it limits the market of future owners because it might not fit their style of life. The owner of this particular house was Mrs. Grace Lewis Miller, between August 1936 and February 1937 Richard Neutra and Grace Miller exchanged over fifty letters which discussed every step of her daily schedule. All her routines and habits are reflected in the house because Neutra listened to all her requirements and suggestions and followed them religiously. The house was tailor made for Grace Miller and her life. The home was made up of two pieces as it was to fit the roles of a winter home and an exercise studio. The budget for the house was merely five thousand dollars, but her requirements were basic so it wasn't a difficult endeavour. Grace Miller requested for the home to match her style as “Miller was a teacher of the Mensendieck System of Functional Exercise, and she wanted an open, airy environment that not only could hold a studio for her practice, but would bring in the ample sun from outside” (Leet). The house was located in a desert and this required the house to adapt in order for the house to be comfortable. Richard Neutra designed the house in order to separate the two entities in order to provide a private entrance into the exercise studio so the visitors would not interrupt her living space. These the two programmatic spaces that were necessary for the project. As Grace Miller taught Mensendieck exercise from home (Mensendieck exercise is a form of exercise therapy that is focused on treating and preventing symptoms which can emerge from an unfavourable posture and movements during daily activities) , she needed a way to separate work from personal time in her own lifestyle. To adapt to the desert climate, it would require some shade on the harshest sides. To account for this, Neutra designed large overhangs to stretch over the south and west facing facades in order to shade the house from the sun. The north facade was also a very important entity as it would provide the best light into the space. In order to take advantage of this light while still keeping a sense of privacy, Neutra provided panels of textured glass windows on the north facade. These textured panels allowed for the natural light to penetrate while at the same time manipulate the view from outside creating a sense of privacy. On top of this, Richard Neutra placed several windows and doors around the house to allow for cross-ventilation. This cross-ventilation was very important in this climate as it would allow a cool breeze to pass through the house to enhance the comfort of the well designed home. The Grace Miller house was eventually left behind and it was not until 2000 that someone had bought it and by 2001 they were in the process of restoring the desert masterpiece by Richard Neutra.

Richard Neutra's Miller House, Stephen Leet