Higginson House

Bertrand Goldberg received his first commission in 1934, from Harriet Higginson. Described by Goldberg as "an early feminist spirit," she wanted a house she could clean using a garden hose. The resulting structure was a wood frame covered with wood sheathing, which in turn was covered with a canvas treatment similar to that used for aircraft in those years. The house contained a single room divided by a fireplace that heated the entire space. On one side of the fireplace was a living/dining area and on the other side of the fireplace was a bedroom area. The kitchen and bath were back to back on the far side of the house. The fence concealed a bedroom terrace that could be used for sunbathing. The house cost $1200.

QUOTE: "[Harriet Higginson] thought I had the kinds of ideas about living and design that would give her the house that she wanted."
- Oral History