Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

How Neutra’s Kaufmann House Got its Groove Back

How Neutra’s Kaufmann House Got its Groove Back

Marmol Radziner and homeowner Brent Harris shed light on the exhaustive, five-year process of unearthing the plans for Richard Neutra’s iconic Kaufmann House in Palm Springs-and the meticulous work it took to recreate its design.

It would begin with one full year of research. Every day, for four of those months, the architectural restoration team donned gloves and combed through the archives at the UCLA Research Library to solve the puzzle of Richard Neutra’s famed Kaufmann House, completed in 1946 and since fallen into disrepair. Floors were cracked, casework had been removed, portions of the land had been sold, and the square footage had nearly doubled through additions over the years.

Sans original plans, they visited the archives daily, redrawing everything original they could capture by hand as part of an intensive, five-year restoration project taken on by the new homeowners. "There are truly iconic, important pieces of architecture, and this is one of those," says Ron Radziner, design partner at Marmol Radziner. "This is one of the 20 best homes in this country, and it deserved that level of restoration."



Vienna–born architect Richard Neutra designed the Kaufmann House in Palm Springs in 1947 for Edgar Kaufmann, Sr., the owner of a trendsetting Pittsburgh department store.

The year was 1993, and the internet was not what it is today, but they kept on. In addition to the work at UCLA, research also included time spent on-site, unearthing years of additions and modifications to the home in search of any clues they could find, such as the original mica plaster hidden behind an electrical box, identified through microscopic evaluation.

It would also include sifting through the archives of Julius Shulman, the world-renowned photographer who documented the home in its heyday and shared never-before-seen photos with the restoration team. It was those photos that would drive the entire restoration.

"After looking at the archives of Julius Shulman, it led us to better understand that it was quite a work of sculpture and much richer than really anyone knew, because nobody had seen Julius’ archives," says homeowner Brent Harris, who undertook the restoration with his former wife, Beth Harris. "The decision was made when we saw the famous Shulman photo from 1947, the twilight photo. It was taken in one snap-a one-time exposure. It seemed like right place to take the home back to."



"Neutra didn’t create the mountain. And the client bought wonderful land. If it didn't have mountains and the step down, it wouldn't be what it is," says owner of the Kaufmann House Brent Harris.

The research team also discovered letters from Neutra to the original owner, Edgar Kaufmann, a wealthy department store owner who sought this property as a vacation home. He passed away in 1955, when the home was sold to a series of owners, including Barry Manilow. The letters helped solve what Harris describes as "a gigantic, national scavenger hunt for the pieces that were gone." They contained specs, sketches, and material details, which led to the team to identify the original buff stone. It originated from a quarry in Utah. Conquering all obstacles in pursuit of authentic restoration, the team trekked to the original source to procure the correct stone, which bears a sunset hue unlike the muddy shade of buff stone you'll find across the masses today.



Slight modernization was thoughtfully incorporated into the restoration, including a cooling solution. "We wanted to lengthen the life of the home and make it more enduring," says Ron Radziner of Marmol Radziner. Air conditioning was added in a concealed fashion. Above, where the wood meets the plaster at the ceiling, an air return is carefully hidden, and ducting runs beneath the floor.

A final piece of the puzzle was consulting with several experts, including another architect who helped build Palm Springs, Albert Frey. "He taught me the importance of materials," says Harris, who worked closely with Marmol Radziner throughout the restoration.

It wasn’t enough to just acquire the original stone; it would have to be set by the best masons they could find. It was initially installed using a dry stack technique-new to Neutra’s work-whereby mortar is applied to the rear of the stone, resulting in a natural look invisible to the eye. A mason worked at the site for a year and a half, chiseling and cutting blocks precisely in place to create a pleasing mosaic. While perfecting the brick took quite some time, just fewer than 10 percent of the brick was restored, demonstrating stone mason Clive Christie's commitment to his craft. Tops and bottoms were cut smooth to sit in horizontal position, allowing the sides and faces to be more organic. But the stone wasn’t the only meticulous detail of the renovation.



The vantage point of the famed "poolside gossip" photo that made Richard Neutra's Kaufmann House so well-known.

The fascia sent the team on wild goose chase-or rather a crimped metal chase. They had never before seen that vertical pattern in metal and set out on a mission to reproduce the material. After sending 3" x 3" samples to sheet metal fabricators nationwide, they found a clue. A fabricator in Kansas City, Missouri, recognized the pattern-and likely made the original. They resuscitated an old machine they hadn’t used in 30 years to replicate the design. "We have worked on many renovations and have never done a project to that level of authenticity," says Radziner. "This was about expressing what Neutra originally intended, not us."



While a two-story structure did not meet the zoning code, Richard Neutra bypassed that via his design of a "gloriette," an outdoor room flanked by aluminum louvers, which were movable and selected for use due to strength. Steel was scarce at the time given the demand for it during the war, yet it did not stop Neutra. The panels-which are still original-shelter the home against the harsh desert elements.

About a decade before the home was designed, Kaufmann had commissioned another notable architect to design a home for him in Pennsylvania. The architect was Frank Lloyd Wright-and the project, Fallingwater. But unlike Frank Lloyd Wright, whose designs grow out of the landscape, Neutra’s designs descend upon it. The glass-and-steel home was, and still is, bold, given its harsh desert landscape-or as Neutra’s described it, the most uninhabitable site next to the moon. "It’s a bit of a stretch, but I definitely felt it several times with the temperature and special equipment needed to bring this about," says Harris.



Neutra's Kaufmann home was initially designed for living just two months out of the year. Yet after the original owner passed, future tenants attempted to retrofit the space for year-long use. An air conditioning unit was placed atop the roof, and square footage was added, enclosing this courtyard. To return it to its original state, the current owner underwent a five-year restoration and reopened this courtyard to honor the original design.

The Kaufmanns only lived in the home some 60 days a year, and Neutra designed it as such. While the integration of radiant heating and cooling at that time made the home somewhat of a prototype, the home could not sustain long-term habitation without the intervention of air conditioning given the omnipresence of wood. It is one of just a few modern-day amenities that have been thoughtfully incorporated into the restoration. Ductwork was carefully inserted below ground. Return air can flow beneath a bed, and in the dining area ceiling, where wood meets plaster, an air return is cleverly concealed.

"We really were true to the original goals of Neutra," says Radziner. "And we tried to very authentically recreate and restore what wasn’t there and make it authentic as humanly possible."



After much research, the original buff stone pictured was discovered at a quarry in Utah, a sunset shade unique to Richard Neutra's Kaufmann House. A mason worked there for a year and a half to accurately restore stone, chiseling and cutting blocks precisely in place to create a pleasing mosaic. Tops and bottoms of the stones were cut smooth to sit in horizontal position, allowing the sides and faces to be more organic as Richard Neutra intended.

The home is lauded in part because of Shulman’s work, but also because of its design, which has endured the test of time. Its pinwheel shape leaves the home without a backside, creating an organic orientation, photogenic from every angle.

"Its place in history as a home-a pristine, modern sculpture in the raw desert-is incredible," says Radziner. "As you walk around and experience it, it’s incredibly dynamic. The significance of this home in the fundamental sense is that it’s moving to people."



The restoration of Richard Neutra's Kaufmann house would take five years to complete.

The meticulous restoration included the sourcing of the original toilets and tables. The cutting-edge, movable and controllable steel louvers were recreated, serving both as privacy and sun screening for the top-floor, open-air "gloriette"-Neutra’s solution for zoning that restricts second stories. Subcontractors were given rigorous tests to evaluate not only their abilities, but also their interest in the project. And while a pool house was added to include amenities that accommodate modern-day lifestyles, it was designed to complement-never to compete-with the restored home, which has since been designated by the Palm Springs City Council as a Class 1 Historic Site, the most prestigious historic designation. Says Harris, "It pioneered the field for historic modern architecture."



Richard Neutra was a disruptor. He built what he described as a machine amidst a harsh desert landscape that defied all odds. And thanks to the team who respected its significance and dedicated so much of their lives to honoring the integrity of the design, it will endure-as good design does. Says Harris, "My favorite part is seeing it through other people’s eyes. Ultimately, I’m really happy that it has inspired people to restore modern houses."



"The home has an unusual resonance when you see it," says Kaufmann house owner Brent Harris. "It has a volumetric, spatial beauty that changes throughout the day, particularly at twilight. There are a lot of great Neutra houses, but this has different feel entirely. It's very photogenic."

Few changes to Richard Neutra's original design were made during the restoration of the Kaufmann house, including the addition of this pool house to better accommodate modern-day life. It was designed to complement-never to compete with-the restored home, which has since been designated by the Palm Springs City Council as a Class 1 Historic Site, the most prestigious historic designation. Says owner Brent Harris, "It pioneered the field for historic modern architecture."



Kaufmann House floor plan

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
×