A prime example of Neutra's California Modernism, the stucture is a simple post and beam grid with a broad flat roof. The house is approached from one end where a carport and storage area tuck beneath the roof with an entry path located between the house and the hill sloping up to the street. A long hallway inside bisects the east end of the house with four small bedrooms along the street side and the bathroom, laundry and kitchen along the other. The living room, entry and dining room are arranged in an "L" at the heart of the house with floor to ceiling windows and doors opening to a broad terrace perched on the hillside. The far west end of the house contains the master bedroom.

Photo Gallery: Troxell Residence
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Reference: CA Boom II Day One (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Two (L+L)
Reference: CA Boom II Day Threee (L+L)

The bedrooms are small by today's standards, but are typical of Neutra's ideology of maximizing shared space with minimal private spaces. As part of the renovation, the architects extended the west end of the house by eight feet to create a larger master bedroom suite.

The original built in cabinetry, closets, bookshelves and seating units were restored, and new cabinets in the updated and reorganized kitchen were carefully matched. The existing concrete slab was too cosmetically damaged to refinish, so the architects chose a black slate tile to resurface the floors. The original radiant heating system had also broken down years before, and an HVAC system had been installed with ducting on top of the roof. The restoration included the removal of these unsightly ducts and new ducts were installed by trenching beneath the house.

The exterior terrace was also replaced with new concrete and a new pool was built extending out from the hill. A pool had been proposed by Neutra as part of the original plan, but the client decided not to build it saying that he had the biggest swimming pool in the world within view of his house. And indeed, the view of the Pacific in the distance was breathtaking.

I corresponded recently with Dion Neutra, Richard Neutra's son who continues the firm to this day, and who is very interested in the restoration of his father's designs. He indicated that he had contacted the current owner with his desire to assist in the restoration, but his offer was not accepted. I told him about the CA Boom tour, and I understand that he had been in contact with the architect about attending, but he was not among the first group to tour with us. I would be very interested to hear Dion's thoughts on the updated home. A man on the tour who identified himself as a former Neutra employee was impressed. My only personal gripe was the removal of an interior planter adjacent to a floor to ceiling window in the dining room with a reciprocal planted (which remains) on the exterior.

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