β[Harriet Higginson] thought I had the kinds of ideas about living and design that would give her the house that she wanted.β
Bertrand Goldberg received his first commission in 1934, from Harriet Higginson. Described by Goldberg as βan early feminist spirit,β 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.