Edla Muir (1906-1971)

Description

Edla Muir, also known by her married name, Edla Muir Lambie, was born in San Francisco, California on January 23, 1906. At the age of 13, Muir worked summers and weekends in the architectural firm of John Byers. When she graduated from Inglewood High School in 1923, she worked as an office assistant for Byers until 1926, when she was promoted to draftswomen and designer. In 1934, after receiving her architectural license, Byers and Muir formed a partnership, renaming the firm John Byers and Edla Muir, Associated Architects. When the firm dissolved in 1942, Muir became the principle of her own firm in West Los Angeles.

Muir focused on designing modern private homes and her designs were featured in Sunset magazine, Architectural Digest, and other publications, as representative of the modern California home. She also designed some public and commercial buildings, such as a supermarket and the City Hall in Ellensburg, Washington, and a corporate office in Mexico City. Her firm Edla Muir, Architect continued from 1946 until 1971, the year she died at the age of 65.

Creator

Edla Muir, architect

Source

Edla Muir papers, Architecture and Design Collection. Art, Design & Architecture Museum; University of California, Santa Barbara.

Date

circa 1917- circa 1971

Rights

Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Copyright restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. University of California Regents.

Collection Items

Edla Muir: Brawerman house (Los Angeles, Calif.)
This large house, for Richard S. Brawerman and his wife, is located in the Brentwood Park area of Los Angeles, near Mandeville Canyon. Muir performed extensive alterations to the house: adding a carport, pool cabana, service wing, main bedroom wing,…

Edla Muir: Gould house (Brentwood, Calif.)
This small house in Mandeville Canyon for George A. Gould is a typical traditional house for the area. Muir was still working in the office of John Byers, but he was nearing retirement and she was taking on more commissions on her own.

Edla Muir: Hall house (Los Angeles, Calif.)
The Zola Hall house in Mandeville Canyon was designed for the recently divorced mother with two small children. The low-slung, single-story house was designed to harmonize with the natural surroundings of the canyon. With redwood walls inside and…

Edla Muir: Ilsley house (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Philip Ilsley was the president of Paddock Pool Company, and a repeat client. He commissioned four houses and two commercial buildings from Muir. For this project, the house was placed along a long private driveway, sited lower than Mullholland Drive…

Edla Muir: Stoessel house (Santa Monica, Calif.)
This house on La Mesa Drive in Santa Monica, was originally designed by John Byers and Edla Muir in 1925. Muir performed alterations to the house for James Stoessel, including adding a new garage, turning the existing garage into a family room, and…

Edla Muir: Sedgwick workshop designs (Los Angeles, Calif.)
This home in West Los Angeles for Edward Sedgwick and his family was originally designed by John Byers in 1939. Muir added alterations to the living room, and presented options for a backyard workshop in this image.

Edla Muir portrait
This portrait was taken of Muir in 1935, soon after she passed her licensing exam to become a licensed architect. She had worked in the John Byers office for seven years and was eligible to take the exam through the apprenticeship track, as opposed…
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