Commissioned by Mr. and Mrs. Wong Yew in 1957, this single-family residence occupies prime frontage along Silver Lake Boulevard within Richard Neutra's ambitious residential colony. The house was designed with entertaining and lake views as primary considerations, reflecting the clients' desire for a sophisticated modernist home that maximized its relationship to the reservoir. The Yews were among several Chinese-American clients who found welcome both with Neutra and in Silver Lake itself, one of the few Los Angeles neighborhoods without racially restrictive covenants during an era when much of the city's real estate market remained informally segregated.
The house displays Neutra's refined Colony vocabulary through board-and-batten siding accented with silver trim and expansive floor-to-ceiling glazing that frames reservoir views. A post-and-beam wood frame supports the structure, while the kitchen features open shelving that maintains visual connection to the water beyond. The master bedroom opens onto a roof deck served by a dumbwaiter connected directly to the kitchen below, creating an ingenious entertaining sequence that allows rooftop gatherings with mechanical food service. This detail represents perhaps the most Silver Lake-specific luxury amenity in any Colony house, combining practical modernist efficiency with the neighborhood's informal outdoor lifestyle.
