Lovell House
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Lovell House or the Lovell Health House was a large modernist style residence designed and built by Richard Neutra between 1927-1929 at 4616 Dundee Drive in Los Angeles, California for the physician Philip Lovell. The house was a turning point in Neutra's career.
It was the first steel frame house in the United States and also made extensive use of concrete. Neutra was his own contractor for the project, not being satisfied with the quality of work from available contractors. The building was added to the list of Registered Historic Places in Los Angeles in 1971.
Neutra fully exploited the steep hillside site by spreading the house out and making use of terraced gardens, overflowing with greenery. More than any other domestic architectural creation, Lovell house showed off his mastery of landscaping. Many pictures of the house show only the main body, neglecting the gardens, with their concrete retaining walls, and out buildings, which combine to form a work of Art.
As was the case with other Neutra houses, the interior was both beautiful and cosy. In this domain, Neutra set himself apart from other genial modernist architects, who all too often put aesthetic considerations above human comfort. Not surprisingly, Philip Lovell was enchanted with the house and praised his architect publicly. Lovell had previously commissioned architect Rudolf Schindler to build the landmark Lovell Beach House in 1926.
[edit] References and external links
- Hines, Thomas. Richard Neutra and the Search for Modern Architecture. New York: Oxford University Press, 1982.
- Neutra, Richard Joseph. Life and Shape. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1962.
- Great buildings online
- Drawings and extensive data pages Library of Congress
- Short description National Park Service
