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Mark Mills

Mark Mills (1921-2007) was an architect that worked during the latter half of the 20th century. He apprenticed for Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West from 1944-1948. Being a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, Mills adapted Wright's ideas by exploring the free-form possibilities of organic design. Experimenting with free-form possibilities was made possible with the pouring of concrete into molds, a technique in construction that allows for free-form exploration. Mills is known for his brilliant use of wood, glass, and stone. Imagination aided by a background in architectural engineering allowed him to push boundaries beyond other architects of his time. His designs were guided by his desire to use local materials, recyclable manufactured pieces, and wood as close to its original form as possible.

Education

Mills left his home town of Jerome, Arizona, to attend the University of Colorado, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering. After graduating he was invited to meet the renowned Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1944, Mills interviewed with Wright for an apprenticeship at his firm, Taliesin West. Subsequently, Mills moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, and spent the next four years working under Wright and learning about design and building from the ground up.

Career

Upon graduating from the University of Colorado Mills got a job in Arizona working for the firm of Lescher and Mahoney. He maintained his job as a draftsman for Lescher and Mahoney for a short while before being invited to work under Frank Lloyd Wright in 1944. Mills left Taliesin West with his peer Paolo Soleri in 1948. It was also in 1948 that Mills and Soleri got their first commission for a small desert residence in Cave Creek, Arizona. After completing their Cave Creek project, also known as "the Dome House", Mills headed west to San Francisco. In San Francisco Mills briefly worked for the firm of Anshen and Allen before moving to Carmel, California, and founding his practice. While at Anshen and Allen, Mills worked on some of Joseph Eichler's early models. He proceeded to work out of his home for the next 52 years until his death in 2007. ^[1]

Mills maintained a successful career on and around the Monterey Peninsula. While some of his work has been published in such magazines as House Beautiful and Architectural Digest, Mills didn't attract clients through publicity. Instead, his connections with the tight-nit community of interior designers, architects, and the affluent provided him with a steady amount of clients. ^[2]

References

^ "Guide to the Mark Mills Papers 1939-2010," p.8, Special Collections, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 2012.
^ Hess, Alan. Forgotten Modern: California Houses 1940-1970. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, 2007. Print.

External Sources

The Special Collections and Archives department of Robert E. Kennedy Library houses the papers of Mark Mills.

Mark Mills Papers (MS 175): [1]

[1] "Guide to the Mark Mills Papers 1939-2010," p.8, Special Collections, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 2012.

[2] Hess, Alan. Forgotten Modern: California Houses 1940-1970. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith, 2007. Print.

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