The Hollywood Hills neighborhood is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Los Angeles, home to celebrities and the ultra-rich. The hillsides are full of luxury mansions, custom homes, and private estates with price tags that would make you wither... but if you've got $2.49 million you can bear to part with, you could buy yourself a Hollywood Hills boat house!
No, not a house boat (this is the Valley we're talking about here), a boat house. Not the kind of boat house you keep actual boats in either - ok, to be fair, the name is kind of misleading. I think it's best if we let this unique mid-century modern masterpiece speak for itself:
Ah, now the "boat house" moniker starts to make sense. According to realtor @tonymian_ , the home's famous architect, Harry Gesner, hired Norwegian shipbuilders to build several (relatively) small but striking boat houses in such a way that evoked a very nautical feel. The warm wooden interiors (with structural members shaped by hand axes, not saws, to give them a rough edge), built-in furniture, and sloping angles give the impression of being inside the hull of a ship - a ship with floor-to-ceiling glass windows looking out over Hollywood Hills, anyway.
Compared to some of the other famous mid-century modern homes in the Los Angeles area, this one feels more compact and enclosed. Nevertheless, what is lacks in sheer size, it makes up for in style. In typical mid-century modern fashion, it feels intimately tied to the surrounding natural scenery, with large windows and decks overlooking the hillside scenery. Though the heavy nautical vibe somewhat contrasts with the usual sleek "modernity" of MCM architecture, it also complements it through its minimalistic, angular form. It also has many of the other "tells" of mid-century modern architecture, like fully-tiled bathrooms, a covered car port, and other contemporary design motifs (dig that "Atomic Age" ceiling light in the main living room).
Living in an Architectural Artwork
The unique three-level home houses two bedrooms (post renovation), two bathrooms, and two kitchens (sounds perfect for a foodie family), accompanied by a yard, garden, and two-car car port outside. It's a very distinctive and sylish abode overall, but... well, not everyone was impressed by its seven-figure asking price.
"2.4 is insane" commented @pablodiscoball. "I've been in a few in similar condition. They are TINY. I almost bought one for 650k in 2019."
According to Mansion Global , this home (one of eight "boat houses" built by Harry Gesner) is only 2,380 square feet over its three levels. It's not a " tiny house " by any means, but you're not getting a mansion for that price either. I won't comment on whether $2.5 million is a fair asking price here (the insanity of housing prices across the US is a whole can of worms), but considering the home's location, its history, and the prestige of its architect, I can see why it's going for so much.
"You buy this house because you want to live in art," argued @cptramius. "Too many would happily destroy it for a gaudy McMansion."
They've got a point there! Even with its high asking price, I have a feeling this striking piece of architecture won't be on the market for very long.
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