Neutra VDL Studio and Residences facts for kids
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Richard and Dion Neutra VDL Research House II
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| Location | 2300 Silver Lake Boulevard 2351 Edgewater Terrace Los Angeles, California |
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| Area | 4,200 square feet (lot size) 3,501 square feet (structures) |
| Built | 1932, razed 1963, rebuilt 1964 |
| Architect | Richard Neutra and Dion Neutra |
| Architectural style | Modern |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000774 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 8, 2009 |
| Designated NHL | December 23, 2016 |
The Neutra VDL Studio and Residences is a famous house in Los Angeles, California. It was the home of a well-known architect named Richard Neutra. People also call it the Neutra Research House or the Van der Leeuw House. Richard Neutra designed this house with his son, Dion Neutra.
Today, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona owns the house. The university's College of Environmental Design helps take care of it. This special property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. It was also named a National Historic Landmark in 2016.
History of the Neutra VDL House
The original house was built in 1932. It was about 2,000-square-foot (190 m2) in size. Richard Neutra built it for himself and his family. He named it the VDL Research House. This name honored Cees H. Van der Leeuw. He was a rich Dutch businessman and a fan of architecture. He gave Neutra a loan to build the house.
Neutra and his wife, Dione, raised their three sons here. Richard Neutra also ran his architecture business from a studio in the house. Later, he opened a bigger office. This office was at the Neutra Office Building on Glendale Boulevard. That building is also a historic place.
Sadly, the first house was destroyed by a fire in March 1963. The fire also burned Neutra's drawings, writings, and architecture books. Neutra's son, Dion Neutra, rebuilt the house. His father, Richard, watched over the rebuilding. The new house kept the same basic shape. However, some changes were made to the design.
In 1980, Neutra's wife gave the house to Cal Poly Pomona. The university uses it for its College of Environmental Design. Teachers and students can learn from the house. By 2008, the building needed repairs. A group started raising money to fix it. An architecture company helped for free. They fixed the roof, the reflecting pool, and water problems. These repairs helped save the house.
Design of the Neutra VDL House
When Richard Neutra designed the VDL Research House, he had a goal. He wanted to show that his ideas from the Lovell Health House could work for anyone. He used natural light and glass walls. These walls opened onto patio gardens. He also used mirrors. This made the space feel open and connected to the nearby lake.
Neutra later wrote about his VDL Research House. He believed that many people could live close together in a good way. He saw his new house as a test project. He wanted to show that people could live near each other. They could still have privacy and feel happy. He fit three families onto a small lot. It was only 60 by 70 feet. He made sure there were lots of plants and nice views. People felt very free in the VDL house. Everything was planned so that different parts of the house did not bother each other. There were many places to be alone.
Neutra was proud that many people visited his house. They would stop and look, maybe wondering why Los Angeles didn't have more buildings like it. Many famous architects also started their careers here. These included Gregory Ain and Harwell Harris. Important clients like Josef von Sternberg met Neutra here. The house was also a place for cultural gatherings. Visitors included Frank Lloyd Wright and Charles and Ray Eames.
One person later described the house. They said that even an architect with little money deserved a good home. Richard Neutra built this house in 1932. He had a budget of $10,000. The land was also very small. What he built became a clever way to live in the city.
The rooms inside the house are small. They are built around an open staircase. The furniture is simple and built-in. It is all in neutral colors. People say the house's strength came from how it used light, water, and air. These elements were meant to create a healthy life.
This house was Neutra's third project in the United States. He built it four years after the Lovell Health House. The VDL Research House later became the center of ten Neutra-designed houses. These houses are on Argent Place, overlooking Silver Lake.
The house is very close to the Neutra Office Building. That building was Neutra's office from 1950 to 1970. It is also a historic site. The Neutra VDL House is open for tours on Saturdays. Students from Cal Poly Pomona lead these tours. It is the only Neutra-designed house that is regularly open to the public.
