Rudolph and Dorothy C. Czufin House

This historic house was built between 1950 and 1951 utilizing the Wrightian style of home design and the services of the Bernoudy-Mutrux Architectural Firm. This home was built for the family of Rudolph Czufin, who at the time was the vice president and art director of Gardner Advertising. The family included Dorothy Czufin as well as their son Frederick. In the decades that followed, the house had three different owners, with the last two making some changes to the house while still maintaining its historical integrity. The home remains today as a local landmark as well as a example of the development of residential architectural styles during the mid-20th century that came along with the expansion of the suburbs post-World War II.

This historic home was built in the Wrightian style, also known as the Organic Architectural style which was developed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright was born on June 8th, 1867 in Richland Center, Wisconsin and is best-known today for his impact on residential architecture with examples from the suburbs to more isolated areas that demonstrate the impact of automobiles. Wright is known for his organic style as his designs integrated natural materials that made the house an integral part of the site it was built on. In 1932, he created the Taliesin Fellowship in Wisconsin where architects could study under him.

One of the forty apprentices accepted into the fellowship in its first year was William Adair Bernoudy. Born December 4th, 1910 he grew up in a middle-class family in University City, St. Louis. Before his apprenticeship, he'd done poorly in school and had failed out of Washington University after his first two semesters. He remained involved at the university, working part-time at the library, but knew he wanted to be an architect. During the three years he apprenticed under Wright, he became well acquainted with the organic style and developed a lifelong relationship with Wright. Following his apprenticeship, Wright worked in a department store until 1937. Wright became a self-taught designer as he worked on landscapes for Cobblestone Gardens from 1937 to 1940. During this period, Wright met Eduardo Jules Mutrux. Mutrux had already been working as an architect at the time. He was born in 1907 in St. Louis and earned his B.S. in Architecture from Washington University in 1930. He earned his Master's the following year and went on the study in France. He is nationally recognized for his international design styles in St. Louis. Mutrux and Bernoudy first teamed up to design Mutrux's sister's house in 1938. Their firm, Bernoudy-Mutrux lasted until their partnership dissolved in 1966. Their success was largely found in Wright's influence on Bernoudy as well as their philosophy which supported clients providing their ideas and input on the design. After the partnership dissolved, Bernoudy continued to grow in his career and became known for designing the entrance gates at the St. Louis Zoo, Temple Emmanuel, and the Beaumont Pavillion at Washington University.

The Rudolph and Dorothy C. Czufin House is mostly associated with Bernoudy, who also became well-known for his residential designs that greatly impacted the St. Louis area. The house was the first project in Ladue that became associated with Bernoudy, though he designed several buildings in the neighborhood. The house maintains its historical integrity despite a series of alterations by the home's second owners Helene and Sigmund Halpern. The couple purchased the house in 1963 and had Bernoudy enclose the front porch in 1967. In the 1980s, an in-ground pool and fountain were added which had been designed by Bernoudy in the 1970s. Another architect named Frank Schwaiger made changes to the house as well, including a new service gate and a wooden fence. The third owners of the house, Ida and Sherwin Steinberg, purchased it in 1998 because of their admiration for Bernoudy. The changes they made included restoration where needed and the removal of 1960's style interior design choices such as the shag carpeting.

National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, MO State Parks. Accessed October 10th, 2022. https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Czufin%2C%20Rudolph%20and%20Dorothy%20C.%2C%20House.pdf.

The Life of Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Accessed October 10th, 2022. https://franklloydwright.org/frank-lloyd-wright/.

, Ilene Kanfer. William Adair “Billy” Bernoudy, 1910–1988, St. Louis Genealogical Society. October 26th, 2018. Accessed October 10th, 2022. https://stlgs.org/research-2/community/st-louis-biographies/william-adair-billy-bernoudy.