American School team members Angela Person and Stephanie Pilat recently had the opportunity to tour Bruce Goff’s Sam and Ruth Van Sickle Ford House in Aurora, Illinois.
Completed in 1950, the Ford House is owned by Sidney K. Robinson, who graciously hosted Person and Pilat. It was first introduced to the American public in a 1951 Life magazine article entitled “The Round House,” which included six pages of color photographs.
Angela Person with Sidney Robinson, the owner of the Ford House.
In 2023, the house became a National Historic Landmark because of its unique architecture, which features Quonset hut ribs arranged in the shape of dome. Most of the dome is covered with shingles, but the southeast side is left open to create outdoor rooms. There are two smaller domes attached to the south and northeast sides of the main dome, which are used for bedrooms. Intricate rope patterns cover portions of the ceiling.
The interior of the Ford house.
According to Person, “The home is a stunning example of Goff’s resourcefulness, repurposing everyday objects to create a magical set of spaces unlike anything seen before.” She continued, “The way Goff blurs inside and outside, particularly with the plantings and the visible structure, is masterful.”
Robinson has lived in the Ford house since 1986. He is an author, architect, and emeritus educator at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Taliesin. His articles and books include Architecture of Alden B. Dow, Life Imitates Architecture: Taliesin and Alden Dow’s Studio, and Inquiry into the Picturesque.
During the Spring 2026 semester, students in Interior Design Studio IV and Graduate Studio IV gained hands-on experience in educational facility design through a semester-long partnership with MA+ Architecture.
The Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates Dr. Tammy McCuen, Robert E. Busch Professor of Construction Science, on beginning her term as president of the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC), an international organization dedicated to advancing construction education through teaching, research and service.
Following years of contributions to the College’s research and strategic initiatives, Gibbs College shares that Associate Dean for Research and External Engagement Angela M. Person, PhD, will step down from her position at Gibbs College as she moves to Tucson with her family, effective June 30, 2026.
