The Dion Neutra/Reunion House is the 26th historic-cultural monument in Council District 13. (photo courtesy of L.A. City Planning)

Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, on June 9 led the Los Angeles City Council in a unanimous vote designating the Dion Neutra/Reunion House as a Los Angeles historic-cultural monument. The home becomes the 26th HCM in Council District 13 since O’Farrell took office in 2013, and the eighth HCM in Silver Lake.

“I am proud to add yet another iconic Los Angeles location to the list of historic-cultural monuments in my district and to honor the Neutra legacy that is synonymous with Silver Lake,” O’Farrell said. “At different times throughout their lives, both Richard and Dion Neutra, as well as their families, lived in the Reunion House, and both made alterations to the complex over the decades. This unique circumstance in the Neutra canon enhances the singular significance of the Reunion House. I knew Dion Neutra for many years, and he was a beloved member of the community.”

The Reunion House property comprises a combination of a one-story main house, which was completed in 1951, and an attached two-story apartment added in 1968. The property is the heart and center of the famous Silver Lake Colony of 10 homes designed by renowned architect Richard Neutra between 1939 and 1962. In the early 1960s, Richard Neutra bought the home, which was transferred to his son Dion and his family in 1966. Dion was a noted architect and civically active constituent in Silver Lake who lived in the house until his death in 2019.

The house exemplifies Richard Neutra’s mastery in designing flexible settings for multi-generations, ranging from two people – grandfather and grandmother – to the occasional explosion of visiting children and grandchildren – thus the title Reunion House.

“I thank Councilmember O’Farrell and the City Council for recognizing this historic early experiment in multi-generational living,” said Dr. Raymond Richard Neutra, president of the Neutra Institute for Survival Through Design.

“Silver Lake is world-renowned for its unique and historic architecture, especially the work of Richard and Dion Neutra,” said Cheryl Revkin, co-chair of the Silver Lake History Collective. “Thank you, Councilmember O’Farrell, for your commitment to historic preservation in our community.”

For information, visit planning.lacity.org/StaffRpt/InitialRpts/reports/CHC-2020-6018.pdf