Neutra, Richard (Joseph)

(born April 8, 1892, Vienna, Austria—died April 16, 1970, Wuppertal, W.Ger.) Austrian-born U.S. architect. Educated in Vienna and Zürich, Neutra moved to the U.S. in 1923. His most important early work was the Lovell House, Los Angeles (1927–29), which features glass expanses and cable-suspended balconies. Shortly after World War II, Neutra created his most memorable works: the Kaufmann Desert House, Palm Springs, Calif. (1946–47), and the Tremaine House, Santa Barbara, Calif. (1947–48). Elegant and precise, these houses are considered exceptionally fine examples of the International Style, which Neutra helped introduce into the U.S. Carefully placed in the landscape, Neutra's houses often have patios or porches that make the outdoors seem part of the house. He believed that architecture should be a means of bringing man back into harmony with nature and with himself and was particularly concerned that his houses reflect the way of life of the owner. His later works included office buildings, churches, housing projects, and cultural centres. His many writings include Survival Through Design (1954).

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