Stunning, Early Ray Kappe With Incredible Views, $2.2M

Author:

Where: 4245 Don Alanis Place, Los Angeles
Asking: $2,200,000
What: The Waymire Residence, Ray Kappe’s first commission, built in 1958.

It’s hard to underestimate Ray Kappe’s influence on modern residential design in Southern California. He’s produced over a hundred homes, and his own, built in 1968, has become an object of worship among architecture students. He’s also a founder of SCI-ARC, one of this country’s great independent architecture (undergraduate and graduate) schools.

Radical enough for 1958? The main entry is through a sliding door of ribbed glass.


Below, period images of the house from the Kappe Archive at the Getty [© The J. Paul Getty Trust, Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles 2004.R.10] Of course, these are vintage photos and don’t represent the current condition or decor of the house; the archive will be an invaluable source for the ardent preservationist who buys the property. You get a sense of the inverse gullwing of the roof, anchored by a central fireplace, although even back in the ’50s, the powerful forms could get overwhelmed by clutter.




What We Love: Expanses of glass and the thinnest of mullions; the opportunity to take advantage of Mills Act tax benefits (talk to your accountant!) and the possibility of owning a future LA landmark– a footnote in LA’s cultural history.

More: Go to the listing for additional details and information. Represented by Wayne Willbur and Steve Portigiani at Deasy Penner.