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Micro Narrative
House on a Washtub-Sized Eminence:
Ellis Parker Butler’s Critical Satire of Site-Specificity
Zachary Tate Porter
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In November of 1910, Architectural Record published a satirical short story by the notable American author and humorist Ellis Parker Butler, entitled “Serio-Piffle Architecture.” Butler’s story describes an encounter between an eccentric architect, Mr. Piffle, and a potential client who has come to inquire about the design of a house for his newly acquired property. As the client describes various details of the property, Butler’s satirical intent becomes clear.

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