Neutra

Landmarks: An impeccable blend of building and environment

In the architecture of Richard Neutra (1892–1970), inside and outside find their perfect modernist harmony. As the Californian sun glints off sleek building surfaces, vast glass panel walls allow panoramic views over mountains, gardens, palm trees, and pools.

Neutra moved to the United States from his native Vienna in 1923 and settled in Los Angeles. He displayed his affinity with architectural settings early on with the Lovell House, set on a landscaped hill with views of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Mountains. Later projects such as the Kaufmann House and Nesbitt House would continue this blend of art, landscape, and living comfort, with Neutra’s clients often receiving detailed questionnaires to define their precise needs.

This richly illustrated architect introduction presents the defining projects of Neutra’s career. As crisp structures nestle amid natural wonders, we celebrate a particularly holistic brand of modernism which incorporated the ragged lines and changing colors of nature as much as the pared down geometries of the International Style.

Barbara Lamprecht is a writer and teacher in architectural history, with a focus on modernism. She contributes to Dwell, The Architectural Review, Architecture, Architectural Record, and Fine Homebuilding and also practices architecture, specializing in sustainability and small spaces.

About the series

Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Architecture series features:

• an introduction to the life and work of the architect;
• the major works in chronological order;
• information about the clients, architectural preconditions as well as construction problems and resolutions;
• a list of all the selected works and a map indicating the locations of the best and most famous buildings;
• approximately 120 illustrations (photographs, sketches, drafts and plans).