There’s an App for That: 3D Scanning with a Smartphone

Tools for documenting historic buildings evolve constantly, but professional 3D scanners remain out of reach for most of us. Alumna Ye Hong, our first dual-degree student in Heritage Conservation and Building Science, sees a path to more equitable heritage conservation in the nearly ubiquitous smartphone. For her thesis, she tested the potential and limitations of mobile apps to scan Reunion House, designed by Richard and Dion Neutra. In this episode, co-host Trudi Sandmeier discusses this exciting project with Ye, as well as (fellow alum) Sian Winship of the Neutra Institute for Survival through Design.

Every Fixture Tells a Story: Neutra’s Reunion House

students looking at drawings — Brannon and Chuy examine Reunion House drawings. Photo by Sian Winship, courtesy Neutra Institute for Survival through Design.

When is a light fixture not just a light fixture? When it helps tell the story of a remarkable home designed, and lived in, by one of the twentieth century’s greatest architects.

The 1951 Reunion House in L.A.’s Silver Lake neighborhood was designed on spec by Richard Neutra. It housed Neutra and his family as his home/studio down the street was rebuilt after a fire, and it served as the long-time home/studio of his son, architect Dion Neutra.

In this episode, we hear how students Brannon Smithwick and Jesús (Chuy) Barba Bonilla learned about materials conservation by poring over switch plates and climbing on the roof of Reunion House. We also talk with instructor Peyton Hall, FAIA and Sian Winship of the Neutra Institute for Survival through Design, the home’s new steward. If you think studying lighting, roofs, windows, and wood is boring, think again. This episode will give you a new appreciation of the materials in a historic home—with a love story thrown in for fun.

Tag: Neutra Institute

Season 4, Episode 9

There’s an App for That: 3D Scanning with a Smartphone

Season 2, Episode 16

Every Fixture Tells a Story: Neutra’s Reunion House