Architects of Little Holmby: Richard Neutra

Architects of Little Holmby: Richard Neutra

Richard Joseph Neutra (April 8, 1892- April 16, 1970) was an Austrian-American architect, residing and building primarily in Southern California. Neutra is considered among the most important Modernist architects. While attending the Vienna University of Technology (1910-1918), Neutra studied under architectural theorist, Adolf Loos. After World War I, Neutra served as city architect in Luckenwalde, Germany. In 1922, he married Dione Niedermann, and had three sons with her; one son, Dion, became an architect and his father’s business partner.

Neutra moved to the United States in 1923. Briefly, Neutra worked for famed architect, Frank Lloyd Wright before accepting his friend’s, Rudolph Schindler, invitation to work and live communally in his King’s Road House, also known as Schindler House, in West Hollywood, California. In 1926, Neutra and Schindler partnered with planner Carol Aronovici to form the Architectural Group for Industry and Commerce (AGIC). After branching out on his own, Neutra designed numerous buildings, twelve of which have been designated as Historic Cultural Monuments, including the Lovell Health House, the Linn House, and the Neutra VDL Studio.


Lovell Health House- 4616 Dundee Drive, Los Angeles, CA
The Lovell Health House, completed in 1929, is considered to be a major monument in architectural history. The house was the first of its kind, built using steel framing and technology used in building skyscrapers. 


Linn House, 7820 Mulholland Dr., Los Angeles, CA


Neutra VDL Studio, 2300 Silver Lake Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA

In California, Neutra was celebrated for his geometric but airy structures, a variation of the mid-century modern style popular during this time. His residential architecture style was a blend of art, landscapes, and practical comfort. Neutra designed a number of houses in Little Holmby, including 10525 Garwood Pl, 234 Hilgard Ave, and 651 Warner Ave.

Greenberg House, 10525 Garwood Pl, Little Holmby

Kaufman House, 234 Hilgard Ave, Little Holmby

Van Cleef House, 651 Warner Ave, Little Holmby

Architects of Little  Holmby: P.P. Lewis

 A series featuring prominent architects that have made an important and  lasting contribution to our community.

Percy Parke "P.P." Lewis

P.P. Lewis (1885-1962) is an American Architect featured predominantly in Westwood, Los Angeles. Born in Pennsylvania in 1885, Percy Parke Lewis married Ruth Augusta Lewis in Omaha, Nebraska in 1917.During the height of his career, he was prolific in the Westwood area and designed more than 45 residences in Little Holmby, 7 which are pictured below,  Some of his important commercial work includes St. Alban's Episcopal Church, located at 580 Hilgard Ave, the " R.W. House" in Los Angeles and the Potter Hardware Company Store on Westwood Blvd. Two of his most notable designs are the Fox Theater, a focal point in Westwood Village which is listed as a Los Angeles Historic -Cultural Monument  and the  Chateau Colline on Wilshire Boulevard, an eight-unit Chateauesque Apartment Home which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. 

Fox Theater, 961 Broxton Ave, Westwood, Los Angeles, CA

Chateau Colline, 10335 W Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA

In addition to these historic landmarks around Los Angeles, Percy Parke Lewis designed individual residences interspersed in the Little Holmby community. Keeping with the Revival theme in Little Holmby, Lewis designed homes pulling influences from English Country and Tudor, New English Traditional, and California Spanish styles. Examples of these classic revival styles within Little Holmby can be seen below:

New England Traditional
301 Loring Avenue
Year Built, 1931

California Spanish
551 S Beverly Glen Boulevard
Year Built, 1929

English Country Revival
801 Glenmont Avenue
Year Built, 1927

English Tudor Revival
1021 Manning Avenue
Year Built, 1934

English Tudor Revival
10557 Wyton Drive
Year Built, 1936

English Tudor Revival
10736 Le Conte Avenue
Year Built, 1934