Richard Neutra: Encounters with Latin America

Richard Neutra (1892-1970), an iconic figure in twentieth-century modern architecture, is particularly well known for his glamorous California houses. A native of Vienna, Austria, he studied at the legendary Sophiengymnasium in Berlin and under Adolf Loos. He later moved to Switzerland and then Berlin, where he worked in the offices of Erich Mendelsohn. He immigrated to the United States in 1923 and worked briefly with Frank Lloyd Wright. His early career quickly gained him stature as one of the most important contemporary architects in residential design.

Less is known, however, about the time Neutra spent in Latin America in the 1930s and 1940s, where he developed a keen interest in tropical design techniques addressing sustainability, climate, and integration with the landscape. He traveled extensively in Mexico and South America and paid particular attention to designs for schools and hospitals in Puerto Rico. Drawing heavily on archival documents and transcripts of Neutra's talks and interviews in Rio de Janeiro, Caracas, Lima, and Mexico City, Richard Neutra: Encounters with Latin America explores Neutra's connections with Latin American architects through his travels, writing, and design work in those countries. What emerges is a rare and surprising view of the Latin American influences and experiences that significantly shaped Neutra's more widely known built work in the United States.