In her own words, Grace Lewis Miller was “eager for some kind of change from the St. Louis scenes I have lived in nearly all my life.” Upon arriving in Palm Springs, she initially intended to cultivate an apricot orchard, or screenwriting. Once design started on her Palm Springs house, the program became clear to her. It would become a work/live house to earn an income from instruction in the Mensendieck System of Functional Exercises.

This presentation will explore the circumstances leading to her decision to build a winter house in Palm Springs, far away from a culturally provincial and conservative Midwestern city, and her multiple roles as client.

Richard Neutra was selected as architect, and the house was designed and completed within 6 months, The Miller/Mensendieck house was Neutra’s first commission in Palm Springs, and one of the earliest Neutra projects to be photographed by Julius Shulman.

Communication between architect and client was primarily through correspondence with over 60 letters exchanged between Miller and Neutra during its design and construction.

Miller was an ideal client-sophisticated, attentive to every detail, skilled at promoting the house in collaboration with her architect, as well as offering annotated critiques of Shulman’s photographs. As “client/archivist” she saved every letter, drawing and photograph relating to its design and construction. With her architect, she actively participated in its publicity in local, national, and international publications. Their shared efforts resulted in national and international exhibits and awards.

Stephen is Professor Emeritus of Architecture, Washington University in St. Louis, author of Richard Neutra’s Miller House (Princeton Architectural Press, 2004) and curator and designer of numerous exhibits on architecture and design, including the 1994 exhibit co-curated with Joseph Rosa (both co-founders of the first U.S. DOCOMOMO Committee) “Instruments of Modernity: Harris Armstrong – Shanley Building 1935-36; Albert Frey – Aluminaire House 1930 - 31; and Richard Neutra – Miller/Mensendieck House 1936 – 37.”

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