Modernism in the Hills: Richard Neutra’s Visionary Lovell Health House
A landmark of 20th-century architecture, the Lovell Health House embodied Neutra’s radical fusion of steel, sunlight, and well-being
Richard Neutra and the Making of the Lovell Health House, 1925–35
Author
Edward Dimendberg
Body Content
A pivotal figure in 20th-century architecture, the Austrian American architect Richard Neutra (1892–1970) designed and built the Lovell Health House from 1925–35, bringing his architectural brilliance to the steep hillsides of Los Angeles.
Perched with panoramic views, Neutra’s design pioneered the optimal conditions to experience open-air living. By using concrete and steel, Neutra created new relationships between structure, space, the natural environment, and holistic well-being for the individuals inhabiting this home.
At the heart of Richard Neutra and the Making of the Lovell Health House, 1925–35 (Getty Research Institute, $50) are six narrated portfolios of visual and textual documentation on the background, design, making, circulation, reception, and resonance of this seminal house. These are introduced by a detailed chronology from Neutra scholar Thomas Hines, and accompanied by new essays from Edward Dimendberg, Crosby Doe, and Nicholas Olsberg, as well as historic texts by Willard D. Morgan and Neutra himself. The volume also features rare archival photography and contemporary images by Grant Mumford, capturing the house in both its raw, unrestored state and its enduring elegance. Nearly a century old and newly conserved, this timely book reintroduces Neutra’s masterpiece to a new generation of readers, scholars, and design enthusiasts.
Endorsements
“For generations young architects have been pulled toward Los Angeles, entranced by the city’s wide-open culture of architectural ambition and innovation. Wright was drawn to that, as was Neutra, Schindler, Ain, Gehry, and Mayne. Neutra’s Lovell House is an essential protagonist in this century-long story. That such a radical design could be built here is testament to the creative energy of this place. That it still provokes and challenges us today is nothing short of a gift.”
— Michael Maltzan, Michael Maltzan Architecture
“The Lovell Health House has long held a place of honor in the pantheon of modern architecture. The authors of this fascinating volume have assembled an astonishing array of primary sources, providing a detailed account of its history and an introduction to the key tenets and philosophy of the Modern Movement.”
— Martino Stierli, The Museum of Modern Art, New York
“An engaging examination of a key moment of the encounter between European and American building cultures. Like in a slow-motion replay, Neutra’s assimilation and deployment of steel frame construction is traced every step from inception to reception through contemporaneous publications. The way that Neutra’s writing, design and exacting site management are interwoven reveals the intensity of thought that went into this emblematic project.”
— William Mann, Witherford Watson Mann architects
Richard Neutra and the Making of the Lovell Health House, 1925–35
$50/£39.99
