In Los Feliz, A Rare Masterwork By Raphael Soriano, $3.5M

Author:Philip Ferrato

Born to a Sephardic family in Rhodes, Greece, Raphael Soriano [1904-1988] would go on to revolutionize residential and commercial construction in Southern California through his hugely influential and pioneering work in steel and glass, defining much of the Mid-Century Modern aesthetic. Surviving homes by Soriano are rare birds (less than a dozen) and now one of them, the 1939 Gogol House in Los Feliz, came on the market last week.

Impeccably restored by its owners, it’s a perfect example of the sophistication and idealism of Modernism in Los Angeles just before WWII.

After emigrating to the United States in 1924, Soriano worked as an intern (unpaid!) for Richard Neutra, along with Gregory Ain and Harwell Harris, both of whom would go on to be influential architects in their own right. By 1936, Soriano would have completed his first solo commission, and Neutra’s influence on the Gogol House is hard to miss– bands of windows, beautifully massed expanses of white stucco on the exterior, and a seamless interplay between indoors and out. Soriano survived the complete collapse of the building industry during WWII by working on innovative design projects for the WPA. By 1950 he had completed his first Case Study House and a house commissioned by the architecture photographer Julius Shulman; Soriano’s innovations in steel construction would be key to Pierre Konig’s own Case Study projects. 

More classic ribbon windows in the kitchen and primary bath.

The lower level contains a paneled study plus a bedroom suite with access to a patio.

Go to the listing for additional images and details. An outstanding opportunity to own a beautifully restored– and eminently liveable– property that’s a key element in the history of American Modernism, represented by Brian Courville at Compass.

Photo Credit: Michael McNamara for Compass