With his houses flooded with light, Austria-American architect Richard J. Neutra (1892-1970) shaped the scene of Californian Modernism. From there he rose to be one of the most influential names in the history of modern architecture. However, in contrast to his peers—such as Alvar Aalto, Marcel Breuer, Arne Jacobsen, and Jean Prouvé—Neutra’s furniture designs have long been undiscovered. Author Barbara Lamprecht fills this gap by studying the extensive but little-known furniture range that had faded into obscurity until Dion Neutra, Neutra’s son and architectural partner, started work on the designs with German manufacturer VS, whose ties to Modernism date back to the Deutscher Werkbund. Referring to the original sketches and patent drawings, the author focuses on the details of the designs to show how the furniture was integrated into his projects and its role in creating the balanced environments he intended for his clients. Each element—furniture, lighting, building, nature, landscape—worked together as a Gesamtwerk (a complete expression) to create a “sensorium,” or a “soul anchorage,” as Neutra called those environments best suited to human well-being. Lamprecht is also the author of the Taschen books Richard Neutra—Complete Works (2000) and Neutra—Selected Projects (2004).
Wasmuth/VS; 2015; 92 pages; $28.
