Comments on: Neutra’s Singleton Residence Still Up For Grabs (For Only $19M…)

By: RE:MASTERPIECE NEUTRA’S HOUSE FOR ART COLLECTOR « ADRIANASASSOON’S Weblog

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:37:33 +0000

[...] Neutra’s Singleton Residence Still Up For Grabs (For Only $19M…) [...]

By: eichler

eichler — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 06:07:40 +0000

Does anyone know where additional interior pics can be found? The Meylers link is broken and I was interested to see how bastardized the house actually is (the exterior pics presented above look great).

By: Another Neutra on the Market « MidCentury Architecture

Another Neutra on the Market « MidCentury Architecture — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:10:06 +0000

[...] mcm, Neutra, pennsylvania, philadelphia trackback At considerable less cost ($1.259M) than Neutra’s remuddled Singleton residence, this Philadelphia house built in 1959 was originally the Hassrick residence. It was placed on the [...]

By: mcarch

mcarch — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:54:08 +0000

Terry,

I had misgivings about some of what I saw in the Meyler photos, particularly the space reorganization and the addition. I’m biased in my thinking, but Neutra knew spaces. I can’t imagine any architect/designer thinking they could improve this house, and judging by the new interiors, I’m right. I haven’t heard about the outrage until now, but if you send me any links or the name of the magazine, I will do another posting about this.

It really is a shame what “money” can do. Too bad the Sassoons didn’t spend their millions on simply upgrading the home and preserving it. The Singleton house is one of the best examples of Neutra’s style. How terrible it is now that it has had much of its character removed. I wouldn’t want it to go unsold, then it could end up like some other great MCM houses and be demolished. I am particularly concerned about this since it sits on five acres. My hope would be that eventually someone will purchase it (at a reasonable price) and bring it back like the couple who bought Neutra’s Kaufmann Residence in Palm Springs.

By: Terry Hughes

Terry Hughes — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:07:35 +0000

Nobody who cherishes mid century architecture modern architecture should touch this place because buying it would reward an act of naked architectural vandalism. This is Vidal Sassoon’s wife’s spec house, which she bought recently for about $6 Million. The $14 Million price rise is attributed to her invidious remodeling of the house, which is almost universally deemed a disaster hostile to Neutra’s entire vision – including a nearly complete reconfiguration of his original spaces and addition of slick lux finishes he knew about and summarily rejected. Many area architects are outraged. The damage has been noted by at least one major magazine expose. As just one example: There’s a gigantic new master suite addition, where the Neutra content is literally zero! The addition is so dreadful that the seller doesn’t even provide the designer’s name in the marketing. The addition was made necessary by the conversion of the three original bedrooms into a gigantic, soulless kitchen (ckeck out the Meyler photos) and the original carport into bedrooms.

The marketing is highly misleading. Contrary to ther seller’s suggestions, it’s not a “celebrity house” – and no Sassoon has ever lived there. There is no evidence that any real $25 Million offer was ever made on this house, although the seller and her agent keep claiming that happened. The supposed “$25 Milion offer” that “fell through” (otherwise known as “the big one that got away” in fishing lore) is just hooey. The house is not even in “real” Bel Air – it’s technically got a “Bel Air address, but is miles from the lush neighborhoods associated with that quarter. There’s more. Lots more.

If you love MCM, stay away!