Mid Century Modern Glamour House

About Ian

Hi, I am an Architect, restauranteur and surfer, I grew up in Los Angeles at the Beach yet was always drawn to the hope and history of old Hollywood. After studying architecture at UC Berkeley, I moved back to Los Angeles and found myself a career in Film production and development. Never content with one career, I restore architecturally significant homes, have owned for 16 years one of the oldest bars in Hollywood and try to make sure to surf everyday!

Ian purchased this House in 2002

Why Ian chose Hollywoodland

As significant as a Lautner or Neutra, I purchased this Kazumi Adachi designed house because it was like an architectural oasis in the middle of the wilderness and yet 5 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood. I didn't think a property like this existed in the hills as it is a 'Palm Springs' style home on a large flat pad -- in fact it is almost a copy of Sinatra's Twin Palms estate in Palm Springs. This was also where Hollywood stars like Bogart and Gable had their 'secret' homes and the ghosts are still here! But it isn't all glamour and parties; to the Chumash Indians, this area was sacred and I could feel the land and mountains calling to me.

What makes this House unique

This home was designed for a wealthy couple who had fallen in love with Japanese architecture so they hired a Japanese American modernist architect. This is his largest home and quite certainly the best. It is a design with very few walls and an indoor/outdoor quality that fully exploits the climate in Southern California. Another benefit is that the air is good up here! And you can actually see stars at night! As an architect, I felt the house needed me to undo some wrong-headed remodels over the years and return the house to it's original integrity. This has been a painstakingly slow (and expensive!) but joyous journey. Maintaining the integrity of its 1958 vintage design and making the proper material choices has been a passionate endeavor since the day I bought this property. The siting of the house is magnificent -- private and flat (no stairs in the hills is a rarity). There are two master suites with only the best king size beds and en suite bathrooms that will take your breath away. All the rooms are large and flow into one another and the three large patios/lanais. The concrete floors and veneered walls and large glass sliding doors convey a sense of strength, authenticity, and minimalist beauty that does not feel brutal or industrial in any way. It is truly like living in an art piece. John Lautner once told me (personally) that 'great architecture will change your life' and this house is proof of that wonderful statement.