Von Sternberg house by Neutra
Encyclopedia
Von Sternberg House was a single bedroom (servant bedrooms excluded) mini-mansion
designed by the architect Richard Neutra
. It was built in 1935 in Northridge, California, in the then-rural San Fernando Valley
for the movie director Josef von Sternberg
. It was demolished in 1972 to make way for a housing development.
Neutra was known as a philosopher of Modernism
in architecture
, and his work as a practitioner was in constant interaction with his thoughts and writings. Von Sternberg house was one of the most impressive of the incarnations of this philosophy, along with Lovell House
.
The design of the Von Sternberg House contrasts with the typical homes built at the beginning of the 21st century. The Von Sternberg House had a very small number of rooms and a relatively small surface area which played up its unique design features. While it did have a few features of ostentatious display, such as a separate, larger and higher garage bay for a Rolls-Royce in addition to the two other garage bays for lesser automobiles (in an era where even rich homes had only one or two garages) most of its characteristics were original and discrete, showing Neutra's attention for the integration of custom details.
The exterior look of the house and of its landscaped surroundings was made of sinuous lines, yet the interiors were orthogonal, making furniture placement simple and easy. As in many others of his domestic designs, Neutra made heavy use of industrial windows and sidings, fulfilling both aesthetic and practical functions, such as making privacy screens and windbreaks.
Neutra was mindful of his customer's desires even when he found them absurd. He would later regale his friends with the story (among others) of Von Sternberg asking that none of the bathroom doors have locks, in order to prevent his party guests from locking themselves up in there and threatening to commit suicide. As a movie director Sternberg was well acquainted with the theatrical behavior of many Hollywood actors, while Neutra had a social life which kept him in touch with artists in other domains.
In the 1940s novelist-philosopher Ayn Rand
bought the house at 10000 Tampa Avenue in the San Fernando Valley (Chatsworth). Concerned by the 13 ac (5 ha) ranch's 20 mi (32 km) distance from Hollywood, where she worked as a screen writer, Rand and her husband actor Frank O'Connor paid $24,000 for the house. In 1963, according to Rand biographer Barbara Branden
, Ayn and Frank sold the house for $175,000.
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
designed by the architect Richard Neutra
Richard Neutra
Richard Joseph Neutra is considered one of modernism's most important architects.- Biography :Neutra was born in Leopoldstadt, the 2nd district of Vienna, Austria Hungary, on April 8, 1892. He was born into both-Jewish wealthy family...
. It was built in 1935 in Northridge, California, in the then-rural San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
for the movie director Josef von Sternberg
Josef von Sternberg
Josef von Sternberg — born Jonas Sternberg — was an Austrian-American film director. He is particularly noted for his distinctive mise en scène, use of lighting and soft lens, and seven-film collaboration with actress Marlene Dietrich.-Youth:Von Sternberg was born Jonas Sternberg to a Jewish...
. It was demolished in 1972 to make way for a housing development.
Neutra was known as a philosopher of Modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
in architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, and his work as a practitioner was in constant interaction with his thoughts and writings. Von Sternberg house was one of the most impressive of the incarnations of this philosophy, along with Lovell House
Lovell House
The Lovell House or Lovell Health House is an International style modernist residence designed and built by Richard Neutra between 1927-29. The home, located at 4616 Dundee Drive in Los Angeles, California, was built for the physician and naturopath Philip Lovell...
.
The design of the Von Sternberg House contrasts with the typical homes built at the beginning of the 21st century. The Von Sternberg House had a very small number of rooms and a relatively small surface area which played up its unique design features. While it did have a few features of ostentatious display, such as a separate, larger and higher garage bay for a Rolls-Royce in addition to the two other garage bays for lesser automobiles (in an era where even rich homes had only one or two garages) most of its characteristics were original and discrete, showing Neutra's attention for the integration of custom details.
The exterior look of the house and of its landscaped surroundings was made of sinuous lines, yet the interiors were orthogonal, making furniture placement simple and easy. As in many others of his domestic designs, Neutra made heavy use of industrial windows and sidings, fulfilling both aesthetic and practical functions, such as making privacy screens and windbreaks.
Neutra was mindful of his customer's desires even when he found them absurd. He would later regale his friends with the story (among others) of Von Sternberg asking that none of the bathroom doors have locks, in order to prevent his party guests from locking themselves up in there and threatening to commit suicide. As a movie director Sternberg was well acquainted with the theatrical behavior of many Hollywood actors, while Neutra had a social life which kept him in touch with artists in other domains.
In the 1940s novelist-philosopher Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
bought the house at 10000 Tampa Avenue in the San Fernando Valley (Chatsworth). Concerned by the 13 ac (5 ha) ranch's 20 mi (32 km) distance from Hollywood, where she worked as a screen writer, Rand and her husband actor Frank O'Connor paid $24,000 for the house. In 1963, according to Rand biographer Barbara Branden
Barbara Branden
Barbara Branden is an American Objectivist writer, editor, and lecturer, known for her relationship and subsequent break with philosopher Ayn Rand.-Life:...
, Ayn and Frank sold the house for $175,000.