Eero Saarinen and Alexander Girard’s conversation pit, a square architectural recess lined with upholstered couches and throw pillows at the Miller House has been preserved, though not as the artists originally created it. The Miller family commissioned Eero Saarinen and Alexander Girard to design the conversation pit in 1953 and the family enjoyed it for decades. As the Millers aged, the conversation pit became increasingly difficult for them to enjoy because the cushions were low and difficult to stand up from. In 1995, the Millers asked Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates to modify the profile of the cushions to accommodate their comfort. Today the cushions have a larger profile and are made out of a different fabric. The decision to preserve the conversation pit at this later moment is keeping with the curatorial interpretation of the home.
Joseph Irwin and Xenia Simons Miller.
Conversation Center, 3 January 1995, FF68, Miller House and Garden Collection.
So, the original materials are no longer present in the cushions, yet the cushions are authentic — I’ll return to this riddle in a bit. In early December I had the opportunity to have a rousing debate on the topic with one of my favorite colleagues, Joelle Wickens, the result of which was captured and presented in Glasgow, Scotland.