Dion and Richard Neutra recreate the VDL Penthouse for Kettal
Using updated construction methods but staying true to the VDL Research House 1963 original, Richard Neutra's son Dion recreates the penthouse of our dreams

Built by Richard Neutra for his family in 1932, the VDL Research House in LA is a landmark in the development of American Modernism. The house was razed by a fire in 1963 and Neutra worked with his son Dion to rebuild it, preserving the original footprint but fine-tuning the design and adding new elements. Including the penthouse of our dreams.
Outdoor furniture brand Kettal is similarly enamoured, to the point of working with Dion Neutra to replicate it. Kettal’s standalone penthouse replica is built using updated construction methods, but the design stays true to the 1963 original. An automated smart home system – of which Richard Neutra would have approved – has also been installed to control lighting, heating and air conditioning. We can’t wait to put one in our garden.
AS FEATURED IN THE WALLPAPER* DESIGN AWARDS 2020 ISSUE
INFORMATION
-
LFA 2023 kicks off celebrating togetherness and common ground
The London Festival of Architecture (LFA) 2023 is launched today, putting the spotlight on its theme, 'In common'
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Portable and pocketable travel tech: four take-away gadgets with which to stay connected
Work and play remotely with these travel tech devices: TicWatch Pro 5; a stylish new Samsung battery pack; Urbanears’ latest earbuds; and the evergreen Tula microphone
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Tomás Saraceno’s spider-led show at Serpentine has legs, and lots of them
‘Web(s) of Life’, the first major UK show by Tomás Saraceno, is a living, collaborative and multi-species call to climate action involving everything from dog-friendly sculptures to ‘spider diviners’ – but no phones allowed
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith • Published
-
This Shelter Island house is designed as a ‘modern cabin’
Shelter Island house by Koning Eizenberg is designed with a ‘modern cabin’ approach and aesthetic, keeping the owners close to nature
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Rafael de Cárdenas Scholarship at RISD supports access and equity in education
The new Rafael de Cárdenas Scholarship at RISD offers support for students at the school’s Architecture or Apparel departments; we catch up with the architect to find out more
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Texan family house foregrounds sports cars, secret spaces and fantastic finishes
Smitharc has shaped a formidable Texan family house in suburban Dallas, using courtyards and setbacks to create a series of intimate spaces within a substantial plot
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Compact Mount Washington house is designed for maximum impact
A Mount Washington house by Anonymous in Los Angeles makes the most of its views, steep site and small size
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Roberts Projects turns historic car dealership into characterful LA art space
Roberts Projects by Johnston Marklee sees the gallery launch its new home in Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Council_St is a creative community hub crafted from a Historic Filipinotown garage in LA
A garage in Historic Filipinotown is transformed into Council_St, an artist’s studio and exhibition space, by LA-based architecture firm Formation Association
By Nana Ama Owusu-Ansah • Published
-
Studio Gang’s Richard Gilder Center brings organic tactility to New York City
The Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation by Studio Gang marks a new era for New York City’s iconic American Museum of Natural History
By Pei-Ru Keh • Published
-
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts launches its undulating Studio Gang design
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts by Studio Gang opens in Little Rock, USA, blending new construction and renovation
By Ellie Stathaki • Published