Richard Neutra was an influential Austrian-American architect who pioneered the International Style in the United States. Some of Neutra's most notable works include the Lovell House in Los Angeles (1929), the first steel-frame house in America, and the Kaufmann Desert House in Palm Springs (1946), a landmark example of modernist architecture. Neutra is recognized for his open, innovative designs that blended indoor and outdoor spaces using extensive glass walls and deep overhangs. He adapted the International Style to the climate and landscape of Southern California, helping to establish desert modernism.

1. SUBMITTED BY :
SHRUTIKA
B.ARCH 2ND SEM.
RICHARD NEUTRA
PRESENTATION ON :

2. • RICHARD JOSEPH NEUTRA was born in leopoldstadt in Vienna, Austria in 1892 in a
wealthy Jewish family.
• He was the pioneer architect of international style and was graduated in 1917
from technische from the university of Zurish .
• Neutra was influenced by Ar. Otto Wagner.
• The works of frank Lloyd Wright and America attracted Neutra.
• In 1923, he moved to US with his wife Dionne and worked for FRANK LLOYD
WRIGHT for few months in 1924.
• Neutra and Rudolph schinder have worked on several projects .
• Later he opened his independent office in los angles with his wife.
EARLY LIFE

3. PROFPROFESSIONAL CARRIER
•Neutra was closely related with International Style and helped to introduce it in US.
•He established himself as a leading figure of Modernism.
•Brought out an architectural style that belonged uniquely to southern California
landscape, and a way of life, which he called MOERN REGIONALISM.
•Neutra’s regional architecture added a new dimension and direction to the several
regional design systems in that area.
•He published WIE BAUT AMERIKA , a book devoted to advanced American structural
systems.
•He was a Form-giver , Teacher, Mentor, Outspoken Speaker and Writer.
•Neutra designed more than 300 houses in California and few else where.

4. • He was famous for the attention he gave to defining the real needs of his
clients, regardless of the size of the project, in contrast to other architects eager
to impose their artistic vision on a client.
• He sometimes used detailed questionnaires to discover his client's needs, much
to their surprise.
• His domestic architecture was a blend of art, landscape and practical comfort.
• Neutra had a sharp sense of
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

5. • In his autobiography, Life and Shape, he included a playful anecdote
about an anonymous movie producer-client who electrified the moat
around the house that Neutra designed for him and had his Persian butler
fish out the bodies in the morning and dispose of them in a specially
designed incinerator. This was a much-embellished account of an actual
client, , who indeed had a moated house but not an
electrified one.

6. DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
• His design approach is very simple.
• His designs are pure, clean and straight line organized without any curve or arc
and mixed with landscape of the site without any ambiguity or confusion in
design.
• Neutra’s ability to incorporate technology , aesthetics , science and nature in his
designs brought him to the forefront of MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE.
• Plate glass walls, ceilings and deep over hangings connecting indoors and
outdoors had become the trade mark of Neutra’s architecture.

7. REAL NEEDS OF CLIENTS :
He gave great attention to define the real needs of his clients.
Used questionnaires to find out what exactly was needed by his clients.
BIOREALISM :
Neutra introduced green design concept in connection with building and nature.
He termed “biorealism” to describe the inherent and inseperable relationship
between man and nature.
Used natural elements like water, light and concrete throughout his designs.
DESERT MODERNISM :
Modernism adapted to warm climate and arid terrain of south California led to
desert modernism.
International style was varied and adopted to the region by using desert natural
elements mainly like rugged stone and desert plants in landscaping.

8. • It is a Health house built for dr. Phillip Lovell on a steep hillside.
• It is a first Steel frame house in America.
• The building appears as a series of floating white trays, abstract and machine – crafted
designed in modernist international style.
• Externally it is simple having sprayed concrete surfaces.
• The house is called health house because it is deeply set in close relationship
with health factors of nature having outdoor play and recreational areas.
Lovell house, los Angeles
PLAN

9. • The house is located on a landscaped, steeply terraced hill and has views of
Santa Monica mountains, pacific oceans and the city of los Angeles illuminated in
night in the foreground.
• the building was built in three levels –
 Swimming pool, Gymnasium,
 Living room, kitchen and maid’s
 Bedrooms and study at the entrance
 In addition, it has sun decks, outdoor exercise areas, outside sleeping porches,
water pools and body massage etc.
 Interior reflects neutra’s interest in cubism, transparency and hygiene.
Play ground at base level
Quarter at mid level
level (Top level)

11. • Neutra worked with Miller and listened her needs and wants and finally designed
a house perfect for Miller’s lifestyle.
• Throughout the design, the building lines are clean, simple and straight in
modernist international style.
• Natural elements like light, water, concrete and green plants were used.
grace miller house in palm springs

12. •The building shows floor to ceiling glass screens in one corner and stucco finish
walls on other side.
•The pool in the corner with a
canopy over it has been linking
outside and inside spaces visually
by casting dancing light on the
white ceiling and acted as a
reflector bringing bright light
inside.

13. • The Kaufmann House is a landmark house built for Edgar J. Kaufmann Sr. on the
edge of a desert town palm springs.
• The building is virtually a glorification of Modernist’s International Style, with its
skeletal steel frames and open plan.
• The surrounding land of the house
is landscaped with stones and
Cactus plants.
Kaufmann desert house

15. • This is an award winning house from American Institute of Architects in 1954.
• The house situates on a mountain slope in lush green vegetation.
• It is a minimum pavilion elegantly crafted with thin planes and glass, which
enables connection between interior and exterior spaces.
• Lush green vegetation and water pool surrounds the house.
James d.moore house

16. • Neutra was well honoured with number of Awards , Doctorates and
Medals.
• Out of which American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the highest one
awarded
awards

17. • Richard Neutra is considered one of the twentieth century's most influential
architects.
• His first major commission—Lovell House—built in Los Angeles in 1929, just
six years after his arrival in the United States, is known as one of the
landmarks of modern architecture.
• He is recognized for his open and innovative designs, his extensive use of
glass allowing indoor and outdoor spaces to flow freely together, and his
application of industrial techniques to architecture.
• made major contributions to urban planning
• the author of several books, including Survival through Design.
• won over fifty awards for architectural designs.
MASTERS OF WORLD ARCHITECTURE SERIES
RIRICHARD NEUTRA

18. SKETCHES BY :
RICHARD NEUTRA