Richard Neutra's Ohara House Could Be Yours ...

Curated Mid-Century Modern Home Listings Available Now

Apr 15, 2024

Austrian-American architect Richard Neutra designed some 300 homes during his storied career. One those gems, the “Ohara House,” went up for sale this week.

Neutra's Ohara House located at 2210 Neutra Pl, Los Angeles, CA

The home was built in 1959 in East Central Los Angeles’ Silver Lake neighborhood. The 3 bed 2 bath home was first dubbed the Hitoshi and June Ohara House, for builder Hitoshi Ohara. The original street name, Argent Place, was later changed to ‘Neutra Place’ in 1992. The Ohara House is one of 9 nearby homes built between 1948-1962 that are often referred to as the ‘Neutra Colony’

The home has reportedly been featured in a number of film and print shoots, including Vogue magazine. Jack Black’s character in the 2006 film The Holiday called the modernist spot home.

Image of Kate Winslet and Jack Black from The Holiday via Google. — Kate Winslet and Jack Black at Neutra’s Ohara House.

Richard Neutra found profound meaning in his work, beyond simply designing structures. As an avid student of modern psychology, he believed that the environments in which we live have dramatic, long-term impacts on our psyche. His studies would inform his design philosophies including ‘Continuum’ and ‘Biorealism.’

One of Neutra’s influences, William Wundt (1832 - 1920), laid the groundwork for mapping the connection between our physical environments and mental well-being. Neutra carefully studied Wundt’s magnum opus, Principles of Physiology Psychology. It was in these pages he first explored the “linking of the body and mind” or in other words “the pairing of the physiological and psychological.” Elaborating on the concept, Neutra began to define is own version of “Biorealism”: “bio” derived from Greek, meaning life, and “realism” noting that physical spaces must be built for how humans really behave in practice.

So how does one go about designing a home that seamlessly connects the physical and psychological? For Neutra the answer lay in a fluent relationship between interior and exterior. With its floor-to-ceiling glass, reflection pool, and lush landscaping, the Ohara House seems to offer just that.

You can view the entire listing here, or go visit the open house tomorrow 4/16/24.