Pavilion VDL

In 1932, thanks to a donation from Dutch philanthropist Dr Van Der Leeuw, Richard Neutra built what would become one of his most significant works: the VDL Research House. In 1939, after his family grew, Neutra added an annexe. However, after a devastating fire in 1963, only this annexe remained, prompting Neutra and his son Dion to rebuild the house. In doing so, they introduced new features—a rooftop solarium, modular systems, water roofs, and refined ways of harmonising architecture with climate and nature.

More than a residence, the VDL served as Neutra’s office for three decades, where he designed hundreds of international projects. It became a hub of modernist creativity, welcoming figures such as Julius Shulman, Frank Lloyd Wright, Alvar Aalto, Charles and Ray Eames, Jørn Utzon, and László Moholy-Nagy. In 1990, the house was donated to Cal Poly Pomona.

Today, Kettal has faithfully recreated the Neutras’ vision, updating materials while preserving every structural detail—ensuring this modernist landmark continues to embody Neutra’s philosophy of design as a mediator between life, nature, and technology.