Even among the proliferation of architecturally significant private homes that populate the hillsides and cul-de-sacs of greater Los Angeles, and in particular the density of avant-garde constructions undertaken in the early decades of the 20th century, Richard Neutra's oft-renovated VDL House is one of the most photographed and influential. This glass-sheathed, garden-nestled, intimate yet commanding structure has been renovated many times since its original 1932 incarnation, as the vagaries of family, floods and fires inspired the great architect, his wife, son and eventual interdisciplinary collaborators to reinvent and expand its game-changing vision for an architecture that responds equally to activities of the home, the body, the intellect and the environment. Its stewardship by the Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design has honored and extended the property's traditional hosting of figures from arts, civics and science, including Julius Shulman, John Anson Ford and Krishnamurti — and now the good folks at de LaB (Design East of La Brea) invite you to the Neutra VDL Studio and Residences Tour, Lecture and Reception, which both celebrates the legacy and benefits the future of this L.A. treasure. Tour space is limited, but reception-only tickets are more plentiful — and besides, as Neutra's vision dictated, the enchanting grounds and community experience are as crucial to its design as any building material. Neutra VDL House, 2300 Silver Lake Blvd., Silver Lake; Thurs., Sept. 29, 7-10 p.m.; $20 ($10 reception only); designeastoflabrea.blogspot.com.

Thu., Sept. 29, 7 p.m., 2011

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