WAS THE NEWSLETTER #110

I’m Paige Wassel. WAS the Newsletter is your weekly dose of design inspiration, where we love a house tour.

DO YOU WANT THE HOUSE TOUR……….???

In the words of Sabrina Carpenter, “Do you want the house tour?” I promise that you do, so today we’re taking a field trip to the VDL Research House. And yes, I am a Sabrina Carpenter fan. And yes, she was a top artist on my Spotify wrapped.

Wait, We’re Going Where?

We’re heading to the edge of the Silver Lake Reservoir, because that’s where the VDL Research House is. (Yes, we can stop for matcha at Constellation Coffee.) [OR WHATEVER SHOP YOU PREFER, IF YOU EVEN LIKE THIS LINE.] We’re coming here to check out the place that Richard Neutra designed back in 1932.

If you’re unfamiliar with Neutra, he was an Austrian American modernist architect. He’s best known for helping define MCM design by creating spaces that blurred indoor/outdoor boundaries and integrated architecture with nature. (I’m a big fan, obvi.)

What’s cool is that Neutra didn’t set out to create a home that was a monument. Actually, he didn’t even call his place a home. Instead, he referred to it as a research house because the VDL was his real-time experiment in urban living. (BTW, it’s called the VDL because Neutra named the place after his primary benefactor, C. H. Van der Leeuw, who was an early and enthusiastic supporter of modern architecture. You can’t convince me that Neutra wasn’t a class act.)

Anyway, Neutra wanted to test how much chill, privacy, and connection to nature he could stuff into a very small footprint. He wanted to see if he could build on a small lot, in a dense city, and still incorporate privacy, light, and dignity.

Spoiler alert: he could.

Neutra Designed for the Nervous System, Not the ‘Gram

Most modernist houses scream, “Look at me!” But Neutra didn’t think architecture was about looks. Instead, he was profoundly influenced by early psychology and physiology. He believed that our environment impacts our stress levels, our sense of safety, and our ability to relax, which is a point I bring up a lot. (Again, this is why we hate the Big Light.) He even coined the term “biorealism” to describe the inseparable relationship between humans and nature.

Emphasizing this kind of design is why the VDL feels quiet, but never boring. For example, Neutra used glass for orientation, not drama. He wasn’t going for minimalism with all the built-ins; he wanted efficiency. He didn’t decorate with mirrors so much as he used them to expand space and redirect light. Every design choice he made related to a job he wanted that choice to perform. Badass.

Little Fires Everywhere

Fires can be a fact of life in Southern California, and no one, not even Neutra, is immune to them. After a massive conflagration (yes, I busted out an SAT word) most of the original structure was destroyed in 1963. What’s so interesting is that Neutra didn’t rebuild what was lost. He didn’t just replicate it all, even though it had all worked.

Instead, he collaborated with his son Dion and they decided to rethink the structure entirely. So now the VDL Research House II, rebuilt between 1964 and 1968, is even more complex and more interesting.

The Neutras kept the original concrete foundation. But now it houses a glass-walled wooden structure with shifting volumes, balconies, and a rooftop reflecting pool. And since it’s Neutra (and son of Neutra), the pool isn’t just decorative. Nope. Instead, it cools the house, reflects light, and anchors it to its context, which is overlooking the reservoir.

What I love is that the VDL captures three distinct phases of Neutra’s career in one place and you can see his design evolution. That fact alone makes it special.

It’s the Thought That Counts

Here’s the thing: the VDL isn’t impressive because it’s old. What’s so impressive is that it feels new. The vibe is so much more thoughtful than most contemporary houses with ten times the budget. Everything about this place is just so damn precise. Like, it’s open but it never feels exposed. It feels luxurious, but there’s nothing excessive about it. All the good vibes come from its precision.

Because of his work with biorealism, the house is giving… alignment, ya know? The light, the proportion, the movement—it’s all choreographed so well.

VDL Hacks That You Can Actually Use

Here’s what’s so remarkable about this place: the VDL’s design choices can translate to real life. You don’t need an MCM showplace overlooking the water to capture what makes it special, if you pay attention to its lessons:

• Design for how you move, not how it looks on the grid. Neutra cared deeply about how you circulate within a home. He was so thoughtful about how you enter, and where you pause. He paid attention to what you see first. This matters more than square footage. It’s all about the flow, man.

• Light is structure, not decor. Track how light moves through your home during the day. Make sure you arrange furniture and surfaces to support it, instead of blocking it.

• Built-ins beat clutter every time. Custom millwork is a total flex, but you don’t need to write a massive check to incorporate this idea. When you can reduce visual noise (especially at eye level), it’s going to have a visceral, immediate, and calming effect.

• Nature doesn’t have to be literal. Instead, this can be view, a plant (that isn’t plastic, please), or a reflection. Your brain responds to cues, not grand gestures.

• Stop chasing perfection. The VDL wasn’t designed to be precious. The intent was to be useful. This mindset alone will improve most spaces.

Take a Virtual House Tour

Today, the VDL is stewarded by Cal Poly Pomona. I love that they don’t treat the place like it’s a museum. They want you to come and see it, feel it, and experience it. When the pandemic made in-person visits impossible, they partnered with Mouthwash Studio to rethink how people could experience the house remotely.

Do yourself a favor and take the virtual house tour. (Which takes you to the first, second, third floor…)

Why You Should Believe the Hype

Listen, the VDL Research House is a thesis statement on how good design isn’t about trends. Good design is about attention. It’s about respecting the people who’ve got to live inside the choices you make. If you’re designing (or redesigning) your own space, the VDL asks better questions than most mood boards ever will, like:

• What supports you?

• What drains you?

• What’s unnecessary?

• What actually matters?

When you can answer those questions, you’re going to find yourself in a space that will measure up to any house tour.

And that is why the VDL still abides.

DO / DON’T by Basma Alromaih

xx,
P