CPP Alumna Saba Salekfard Named Resident Director of the Neutra VDL House
The College of Environmental Design (ENV) has named Saba Salekfard, assistant professor of architecture and a CPP alumna, as the new resident director of the Neutra VDL Studio and Residences.
A National Historic Landmark, the Neutra VDL House in Silver Lake was designed by renowned modernist architect Richard Neutra and serves as a center for architecture, art, culture, education and public engagement. The house is operated under ENV’s stewardship and is the only Neutra-designed residence regularly open to the public.
Salekfard succeeds Noam Saragosti, who served as resident director for the past six years and oversaw significant preservation efforts, student programming, exhibitions, artist residencies and public engagement initiatives.
During his tenure, Saragosti guided important conservation projects, including repairs to the main roof, plumbing systems and historic glass elements, while expanding educational programming that connected CPP students with architects, artists and designers from around the world.
Reflecting on his time at the VDL House, Saragosti said the experience reinforced the building's role as a living site of experimentation and exchange.
"The VDL has always been more than a landmark. It is a place of ongoing cultural experimentation across art, design, architecture, and scholarship, one that proves a historic house stays alive through the people who use it and the ideas it continues to generate. My goal was to continue that mission for the house, not as a frozen monument, but a living, active, and accessible place," said Saragosti in his farewell message to VDL House newsletter subscribers.
Salekfard's connection to the VDL House began as a CPP architecture student, when she served as a docent at the house and was introduced to Neutra's design philosophy through direct engagement with the site.
Today, she returns as both an educator and steward of the landmark. A graduate of CPP’s architecture program and now an assistant professor in the Department of Architecture, Salekfard brings experience in architectural practice, research and teaching, alongside a longstanding interest in domesticity, community and what she describes as an "architecture of care."
"The Neutra VDL House has been a meaningful part of my journey for many years, beginning as a student docent while I was at Cal Poly Pomona," Salekfard said. "It was an incredibly formative experience that connected me, as a student, to Los Angeles and introduced me to Richard Neutra's thinking in a deeply personal way. Engaging closely with the House sparked my lasting interest in domesticity and an architecture of care."
She added, "I see the role as an opportunity to return to those ideas while giving back to the institution and community that shaped me. The VDL House offers a unique environment where teaching, research, practice and public engagement intersect. I'm excited to bring what I learn from living with and working through the [VDL] House back into the studio and the College, while creating new opportunities for Cal Poly Pomona students, faculty, and alumni to engage with the [VDL] House and its wider community."
As resident director, Salekfard plans to build upon the foundation established by previous directors while creating new opportunities for engagement across ENV.
"I'm looking forward to building on the incredible work of the [VDL] House's previous directors and helping shape its next chapter. I'm especially looking forward to working with students across ENV through the docent program and future projects, and to strengthening the VDL's role as a bridge between Cal Poly Pomona, Los Angeles, and the communities the House serves."
Mary Anne Akers, dean of the College of Environmental Design, praised Saragosti's contributions while welcoming Salekfard into the role:
"Noam treated the VDL House not simply as an architectural artifact. He understood it as a living place: a house where architecture could be in conversation with art, landscape, music, dance, docent training, family history and culture. I always felt that Noam respected the soul of the VDL House. The interdisciplinary approach that he used in his directorship leaves a deep imprint for sure.
Now we welcome Saba Salekfard as the new Director. We look forward to supporting Saba as she brings her own perspective and ideas to the house while continuing its important role as a place for preservation, education, creative experimentation and public engagement."
Through its docent program, public tours, exhibitions, lectures, workshops and cultural programming, the Neutra VDL House continues to serve as a living laboratory for architectural education while preserving one of Southern California's most significant examples of modernist design.
CPP students, faculty and staff can tour the VDL House for free by showing their Bronco ID. Book a tour.