The design of "Mother's House", as architect Robert Venturi frequently called the house, was affected by Vanna (née Luizi) Venturi as both the client whose needs had to be met, and also as the mother who helped develop the architect's talent and personality.

Vanna was a feminist, socialist, pacifist, and vegetarian with an active intellectual life, reading books mostly on history, current events, and biography.
 She was born to Italian immigrant parents in Philadelphia in 1893.
She dropped out of high school because her family could not afford to buy her a coat, so she was essentially self-educated.
At 29, she married fruit-and-produce merchant Robert Venturi, Sr.
 Her only child, Robert, Jr. was born in 1925.
Possibly because of her liberal views she perceived herself as an "outsider" and became a Quaker.
Robert, Jr. said, "I never went to public school: pledging allegiance to the flag — 'coercive patriotism' my mother called it — was anathema to her."
The family made summer trips to Arden, Delaware, and Rose Valley, Pennsylvania, two communities organized by architect Will Price, who was inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement and the then-radical economics of Henry George.
 In Rose Valley, the family attended plays by George Bernard Shaw at the Hedgerow Theater.

The family attended the Quaker Philadelphia Yearly Meeting at the Arch Street Friends Meeting House.

Robert, Jr. attended a Quaker grade school, then the Episcopal Academy, and later Princeton University, earning both bachelor's and master's degrees.
From 1954 to 1956 he was a Rome Prize Fellow at the American Academy in Rome.
He then taught architectural theory at the University of Pennsylvania, working with Louis Kahn.
In 1960, Venturi met fellow lecturer and future partner Denise Scott Brown at the university.
As a professional architect, he worked in the offices of Eero Saarinen, Louis Kahn, and Oscar Stonorov.

In 1959 Robert, Sr.
died, leaving his wife enough money to build the house and live comfortably.
 The designs for the house by Robert, Jr. evolved over four years, but the architect noted only two indications of disagreement from his client.
When the work was about three-fourths complete, she looked at the traditional 19th-century house next door and remarked "Oh, isn't that a nice house."
 She also rejected the marble floor in the dining area, considering it to be ostentatious, but relented as the house was nearing completion.
Along with the Guild House, an apartment house for the elderly, also completed in 1964, the Vanna Venturi House was Venturi's first work as an independent architect.

As a widow nearing the age of 70 as the house was completed, Vanna required that all her daily routine could be conducted on one floor, possibly with the help of a live-in caretaker.
 Thus the first floor plan contains all the main rooms of the house: the master bedroom, a full bathroom, the caretaker's room, the kitchen and a living/dining area.
She did not drive, so there is no garage.
Her son, the architect, occupied the second floor, which contains a bedroom/studio with a large lunette window, a private balcony, and a half-bath on the stair landing.
There is a large side porch and a basement with ample storage areas.
The house was also specifically designed for her antiques and reproduction furniture, which she had collected over 50 years.

Robert lived in the house until a few months after his 1967 marriage to Denise Scott Brown.
Vanna Venturi lived in the house from 1964 though 1973, often lecturing visiting architects on architecture and the architect.
 In 1973 she moved to a nursing home, and died in 1975.
The house was sold in 1973 to Thomas P. Hughes, an historian, author, and university professor, and his wife, Agatha, an editor and artist.
The Hughes family maintained and lived in the house, keeping it as original and authentic as possible, until 2016 when it was sold to a local, private buyer.
The design of "Mother's House", as architect Robert Venturi frequently called the house, was affected by Vanna (née Luizi) Venturi as both the client whose needs had to be met, and also as the mother who helped develop the architect's talent and personality.
Vanna was a feminist, socialist, pacifist, and vegetarian with an active intellectual life, reading books mostly on history, current events, and biography.  She was born to Italian immigrant parents in Philadelphia in 1893. She dropped out of high school because her family could not afford to buy her a coat, so she was essentially self-educated. At 29, she married fruit-and-produce merchant Robert Venturi, Sr.  Her only child, Robert, Jr. was born in 1925. Possibly because of her liberal views she perceived herself as an "outsider" and became a Quaker. Robert, Jr. said, "I never went to public school: pledging allegiance to the flag — 'coercive patriotism' my mother called it — was anathema to her." The family made summer trips to Arden, Delaware, and Rose Valley, Pennsylvania, two communities organized by architect Will Price, who was inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement and the then-radical economics of Henry George.  In Rose Valley, the family attended plays by George Bernard Shaw at the Hedgerow Theater.
The family attended the Quaker Philadelphia Yearly Meeting at the Arch Street Friends Meeting House.
Robert, Jr. attended a Quaker grade school, then the Episcopal Academy, and later Princeton University, earning both bachelor's and master's degrees. From 1954 to 1956 he was a Rome Prize Fellow at the American Academy in Rome. He then taught architectural theory at the University of Pennsylvania, working with Louis Kahn. In 1960, Venturi met fellow lecturer and future partner Denise Scott Brown at the university. As a professional architect, he worked in the offices of Eero Saarinen, Louis Kahn, and Oscar Stonorov.
In 1959 Robert, Sr. died, leaving his wife enough money to build the house and live comfortably.  The designs for the house by Robert, Jr. evolved over four years, but the architect noted only two indications of disagreement from his client. When the work was about three-fourths complete, she looked at the traditional 19th-century house next door and remarked "Oh, isn't that a nice house."  She also rejected the marble floor in the dining area, considering it to be ostentatious, but relented as the house was nearing completion. Along with the Guild House, an apartment house for the elderly, also completed in 1964, the Vanna Venturi House was Venturi's first work as an independent architect.
As a widow nearing the age of 70 as the house was completed, Vanna required that all her daily routine could be conducted on one floor, possibly with the help of a live-in caretaker.  Thus the first floor plan contains all the main rooms of the house: the master bedroom, a full bathroom, the caretaker's room, the kitchen and a living/dining area. She did not drive, so there is no garage. Her son, the architect, occupied the second floor, which contains a bedroom/studio with a large lunette window, a private balcony, and a half-bath on the stair landing. There is a large side porch and a basement with ample storage areas. The house was also specifically designed for her antiques and reproduction furniture, which she had collected over 50 years.
Robert lived in the house until a few months after his 1967 marriage to Denise Scott Brown. Vanna Venturi lived in the house from 1964 though 1973, often lecturing visiting architects on architecture and the architect.  In 1973 she moved to a nursing home, and died in 1975. The house was sold in 1973 to Thomas P. Hughes, an historian, author, and university professor, and his wife, Agatha, an editor and artist. The Hughes family maintained and lived in the house, keeping it as original and authentic as possible, until 2016 when it was sold to a local, private buyer.
Vanna Venturi House