It’s Raining Neutras These Days!

Say what you will about 2020, there’s no denying that for one very discrete segment of the population, it’s been a banner year. We’re talking of course about multi-millionaires who want to buy architectural trophies/houses. Last week we noted that Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House in Palm Springs was for sale (for a cool $25 million) and hot on the heels of that listing, we see that was in perhaps Neutra’s 2nd most famous home—The Lovell Health House in Los Feliz—has also just been listed (and for only $11.5 million).

If the house looks familiar it may be thanks to its impressive turn in L.A. Confidential or any number of other productions that try to capture a glint of old Hollywood glamour. It was built in 1929 and while it’s often categorized as being in the International Style—it utilized factory-made window assemblies and is a very early example of steel frame construction being used on a house in the US—but, even 90 years on there’s a drama to the house that’s all Neutra. 

The house (well a model of it, see below) was actually exhibited at the then new MOMA in New York only three years after it was built. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and as a cultural historic moment (whatever that means) by the City of Los Angeles and is generally recognized as the building that started Neutra’s career.

There aren’t too many shots of the interior (we suspect it’s been more used for commercial work than as a residence for the last little while) but there definitely some Ode to Joy moments going on.

And I suppose this is one of the few building where the buyer would actually say “Thanks God the windows are original!”

But as we said with the Kaufmann House, the expense of the Lovell House is relative depending on whether you look at it as (functional) art—in which case, it’s a wise buy—or a just another LA residence—where, at almost 5,000 sq/ft on almost half and acre in the Hollywood Hills, it’s not insanely priced (although the former Russian consulate is only a few blocks away and at $7,900,000 for over 15,000 sq/ft is a appealing for those whose tastes skew more classical). Decisions, decisions.