A House Built with Mixed Motifs: Starting with a Blank Canvas

Design Confidently, Live Comfortably

After the fire, the Mieses contacted architect Barbara Winslow, whose firm, JSW Architects, is renowned for architecture created around basic design principles. (Winslow and her partners have detailed these principles in the book Patterns of Home: Ten Essentials of Enduring Design, The Taunton Press, 2002.)

A plaque near the front gate commemorates the old house and the building
of the new.
PHOTO BY KAREN TANAKA

Because the Mieses were happy enough with the previous house, they never indulged themselves in dreaming about a better one. When asked to recall the best aspects of the house they had lost in the fire, they could list only two: the fireplace and the views. The wish list they gave to Winslow was short: comfortably sized, open, airy rooms plus some smaller, private spaces. And they wanted full access to the front yard and the backyard.

Their marching orders were exactly what Winslow wanted to hear because all of it was in keeping with her firm's conviction about what makes good architecture. As Winslow developed the plans, her clients became more enthusiastic. That kind of appreciation is pure rocket fuel for most architects, and it propelled Winslow into the project. Their collaboration became so compelling that Winslow remained active long after the building itself was designed. She didn't stop until she had helped the Mieses shop for tile and fabric (see "An Architect Gives Advice").

NEXT: From the Street, a One-Floor House

BACK: Introduction

	IN THIS ARTICLE:

		Introduction

		Starting with a Blank Canvas

		From the Street, a One-Floor House

		A Comfortable Mediterranean Style

		Warm and Welcoming

		What an architect can do for you

		A Homeowner’s Insurance Travails

		Floor Plan

		Resources