Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/02/1998
NRHP Listing Date 03/30/1999
NRHP Reference Number 99000369
Rice House is the most significant example of domestic architecture in the International Style in Richmond. It was designed by acclaimed architect Richard Neutra, whose work is well represented on the West Coast but is very rare in this region. Neutra’s signature motifs—dramatic cantilevers, expansive planes of glass, interconnected interior and exterior spaces, fastidious attention to lighting, and the use of pools of water to define edges—are well illustrated in this dramatic structure set on an equally dramatic site in rugged terrain overlooking the north bank of the James River. The house was commissioned by Ambassador and Mrs. Walter Rice and served as their home during most of Rice’s career in business, commerce, and international diplomacy.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: February 26, 2021
