Collection by Diana Budds
Architects' Homes for their Parents
It comes at no surprise that some of the most famous architects' early commissions were for their parents. Who better to encourage their experimental ideas? How better to repay years of encouragement? For a few—like Charles Gwathmey (whose Amagansett house was featured in our October 2012 American Modern issue) and Harry Seidler—those were the projects put them on the map. Here, we take a look at more homes by architects for their families.
Vanna Venturi House
Richard Venturi designed this Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, house for his mother in 1963. Known for quoting the visual language of older architectural movements, Venturi broke with the rigid box-like forms of the high modern style for this structure. Of this design he stated "This building recognizes complexities and contradictions: it is both complex and simple, open and closed, big and little: some of its elements are good one one level and bad on another." In his world "less was a bore," as shown by the exaggerated proportions and embellishments of the facade shown here.
Jerome and Carolyn Meier House
Architect Richard Meier designed this Essex, New Jersey, house for his parents in 1965. Meier described it as "A Miesian brick house under a Frank Lloyd Wright roof." Meier was also quoted as saying: "My mother always said everything was perfect except for one thing—there weren't enough closets."