Richard Neutra's Mosby House

A Mid-Century Masterpiece Overlooking the Missoula Valley

Legendary Austrian-American architect Richard Neutra is best known for modernist homes that are sprinkled liberally around Southern California. As a result, this house, built in 1950 in Missoula, Montana, is an intriguing exception.

One of only two homes designed by Neutra in the state, the 'Arthur James Mosby and Ruth Mosby House' was inspired by a trip to Los Angeles that radio and TV broadcaster Art Mosby took in the 1940s. Intended to be a Hollywood-style home dropped into the Rockies, it is perched majestically on a hill overlooking the valley floor.

The Mosbys lived in the house until they passed away, and in 1970 the house was donated to the University of Montana to serve as a "President's residence". It later passed into the current owners' hands, and they recently renovated it extensively, using the original blueprints and other documents stored at the university and at UCLA's Neutra archive.

Working with acclaimed Korean architect Byoung Cho and Bozeman-based Ensitio Architecture, they restored the original dimensions of the house, refurbishing the built-in units and finishes in local materials, including Douglas Fir cabinetry, and maple floors repurposed from a demolished middle school nearby. The bathrooms have been lined in iconic mid-century Heath tile. 

Other spaces have been updated to suit different social norms. The kitchen, for example, is no longer a workspace for the hired help but a spacious, hand-crafted focal point for the home that takes in stunning views of Mount Sentinel.

However, the house retains Neutra's signature features, including an airy, open-plan design, subtle lighting, glass walls, spider-leg beams that hold the roof flat and extend over the exterior walls, and a seamless interface with the landscape surrounding it. 

Floor-to-ceiling, wraparound views merge the interiors with the Missoula Valley and mountains beyond, and enormous sliding windows can be opened to allow full contact with the outside world in summer, or closed to snuggle up and watch the elements in winter.

The house has been decorated in handmade modern style and, in spite of its architectural pedigree, is very much a family home – which is how Richard Neutra would have wanted it. Best known for his single-family homes, he saw himself creating therapeutic spaces to ease the stresses of modern life. He called his style biorealism, in that it attended to the needs of the mind and body in a search for "happiness and emotional equilibrium". (You can read more about his work in this recent New Yorker article.)

And that is certainly what you'll find here. The property is spacious, with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, two offices, and an open-plan living and dining room (with its original wood stove). It also makes the most of its setting, with corner balconies, a large flagstone patio, and extensive sloping lawns. There is a community park next door and a good sledding hill nearby.

This holiday home in Montana is not only a therapeutic getaway, but it also showcases Neutra's remarkable work, making it a great destination for lovers of mid-century architecture.

Read more about the restoration of this iconic home in our Stories section here.

Aroud

The house is located in a friendly family neighborhood, with a number of open spaces nearby. The road it sits on was the first built in the area, and it's now something of an enclave for notable modernist homes. 

In the summer, guests can walk onto the Highlands Golf course and take a stroll to its top for sunset drinks or dinner at Shadow's Keep. Alternatively, you can hike or bike up nearby Mount Sentinel and the popular Crazy Canyon Trail. In the winter, cross-country ski out of the back door, or take the car to the Pattee Canyon ski area. The alpine ski center Snobowl is only 25 minutes away.

The house overlooks the University District. Jump on the free Mountain Lion Bus that takes you downtown and to the Hip Strip, a collection of locally-owned stores, restaurants and coffee shops. Other shopping centers and the Splash Montana water park are also nearby. 

For fly fishing, boating and other outdoor sports, head out to the Bitterroot and Clark Fork Rivers (both 10 minutes away), and the Blackfoot River (20 minutes).

Location

Missoula, Montana, United States. Nearest airport: Missoula International (20 minutes).

Best time to visit

This is a year-round destination for autumn color, winter sports, and spring/summer adventures.