Origins & Early Life

Richard Joseph Neutra ( NOI-tra; 8 April 1892 – 16 April 1970) was an Austrian-American architect. Living and building for most of his career in Southern California, he came to be considered a prominent and important modernist architect. His most notable works include the Kaufmann Desert House, in Palm Springs, California. Neutra was born in Leopoldstadt, the second district of Vienna, Austria Hungary, on 8 April 1892, into a wealthy Jewish family.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His Jewish-Hungarian father Samuel Neutra (1844–1920), was a proprietor of a metal foundry, and his mother, Elizabeth "Betty" Glaser Neutra (1851–1905) was a member of the IKG Wien. Richard had two brothers, who also emigrated to the United States, and a sister, Josephine Theresia "Pepi" Weixlgärtner, an artist who married the Austrian art historian Arpad Weixlgärtner and who later emigrated to Sweden. Her work can be seen at the Modern Art Museum in Stockholm. Neutra attended the Sophiengymnasium in Vienna until 1910. He studied under Max Fabiani and Karl Mayreder at the Vienna University of Technology (1910–18) and also attended the private architecture school of Adolf Loos.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1912, he undertook a study trip to Italy and...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• 1892 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1892
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• 1970 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1970
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