A few months before his death at age 98 in 2010, the famous architectural photographer Julius Shulman signed and numbered thirty five 16” x 20” digital archival prints of a 1966 photograph he had taken of Richard Neutra next to the water roof of his studio and residence in Los Angeles. The photographer then bequeathed these autographed prints to the Cal Poly Pomona Foundation which, now owns this structure. He stipulated that they be sold to help restore that very studio/residence depicted in his photograph. The Cal Poly Foundation is encouraging European art collectors to avail themselves of this rare opportunity and by doing so to help preserve one of the landmarks of modern architecture.

The Richard and Dion Neutra VDL Studio and Residences was built in three phases. It could accommodate three households and an architectural office on a small 60 x 70 foot lot. The first two phases in 1932 and 1940 were designed by Richard Neutra based on a loan from Dutch industrialist Cornelius van der Leeuw(“VDL”). After a fire burnt the top two floors of the 1932 wing , Richard and his son Dion designed the third phase on the same prefabricated concrete foundation. Thus in one place, one can see the Neutra firm’s design ideas from the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1960’s. It is open for tours given by architectural students most Saturdays from 11:00 to 15:00. All phases attempted to address these trend setting and still valid design questions:

• How can we accommodate live work spaces on a small footprint?
• How can we best consider the demands of climate?
• How can we use new technology sustainably?
• How can we bring the sensory impact of nature into an urban dwelling?
• How can social and biological science inform design?

The Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design has courses at the Neutra compound on restoration, design, landscape architecture and energy efficiency. It sponsors web based debates there, musical events and hosts policy making retreats on the premises.

The cost of one print is $2075. This includes shipping but not a frame. Purchase can be made with credit card by going to: secure.qgiv.com/

Further technical information about the print itself can be obtained from Mr Anthony Greenberg, a member of the VDL Planning Task Force at: tgreenberg@jbg.com