Millard House
The Millard House in Pasadena, also known as La Miniatura, was the first of Frank Lloyd Wright’s four textile-block houses built in Los Angeles County. It was commissioned by Alice Millard, a prominent rare book dealer, in 1923. Textile-block houses were named for their richly textured brocade-like concrete walls. Wright used material found on the property to form the roughly textured, earth-toned blocks as a way to blend the house with the surrounding trees and hillside. While the design was a departure from Wright’s Prairie House architecture for which he had become known, it was consistent with his lifelong love of natural materials and belief that buildings should complement their surroundings. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Pasadena, Los Angeles County
Images by Al Russell