Throughout the world, there are thousands (if not millions) of homes that were designed by master architects, but that doesn't mean all of them are iconic masterworks. For instance, Frank Lloyd Wright famously designed hundreds of beautiful homes and buildings in his signature style, but only a select few of them, such as Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum, ever truly reached household name status. To live in a home that was not only crafted by an architect, but was also one of their finest works, is a fortune few possess.
But such a rare opportunity is now open to home buyers in Los Angeles, specifically for those with deep pockets looking in the Santa Monica area. One of the most striking examples of 1980s modern architecture in Los Angeles is on sale for just shy of $5 million.
Luxury LA realtor @tonymian_ brings us through this eco-futuristic, one-of-a-kind home located at 762 Latimer Road in Santa Monica. This singularly striking residence was originally known as the Borghei-Cookston House, designed in the 1980s by the legendary Los Angeles architect Ray Kappe.
For context, Kappe was arguably one of the most influential American pioneers of the Modernist architecture movement, designing hundreds of innovative homes and buildings throughout his long career, mostly in the Los Angeles area. The Millie Vintage memorialized Kappe as a visionary who " pushed the boundaries of modernist design while advocating for sustainability and environmental consciousness," and they list his striking Borghei-Cookston House among his greatest works.
A Modernist Masterpiece
If you're looking for cozy cottagecore vibes, this isn't it. Kappe's towering home is a Brutalist construction of concrete, metal, and glass. Despite its rather stark construction, though, the home has a weird, ultra-modern beauty, with sloping fluid lines, lush overgrown greenery visible through the home's many windows, and a jaw-dropping glass dome ceiling soaring above. Upon first glance, the building looks impersonal and alien, but the closer you look, the more its weird beauty shines through.
It's not like this home is devoid of creature comforts, either - quite the opposite. According to its Zillow listing , the sizable three-bedroom, four-bathroom home has a modern kitchen, multiple patios and decks across its three levels, two fireplaces (one in the den and the other in the primary bedroom), and two terraced outdoor hot tubs , located at the end of the home's dramatic second-story outdoor walkway. Don't let its hard edge fool you: the Borghei-Cookston House lacks nothing in the way of luxury.
Living in a Piece of History
The Borghei-Cookston House is genuinely one of a kind; a 1980s time capsule crafted by one of the most influential architects of the Modernist movement. Modernist aesthetics can be very divisive, though, and regardless of the home's historic legacy, not everyone was on board.
"$5 million to live in a concrete prison," scoffed @zackattack87.
"Hey bro, let's live in the community college," said @gicknuizan. OK, I've gotta admit, that made me genuinely laugh. Modernism is definitely not for all audiences!
Still, while there were some haters in the comments, there were plenty of fans who were on board. It just needed a human touch and a bit of color! One commenter, @knightsdawn, suggested that the place would look "elite" if it was filled with plants and aquariums. I'll admit, I wasn't sold on this home at first, but that mental image did it for me. I get the vision now!
A $4.995 million price tag isn't chump change, but with this home's unique design and the architectural legacy attached to it, I would be surprised if it had no takers. The property is co-listed by luxury Los Angeles realtors Matt Adamo and Aaron Kirman, who can be contacted through the Zillow listing linked above.
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