Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House is once again for sale. It’s hard to believe that a home listed for nearly $12 Million would actually be open to the public… but it was. I doubt many of us who walked through it’s doors this last Sunday would even qualify for that kind of loan, but who cares. That didn’t stop dozens of architectural enthusiasts like myself from wandering the sprawling Brentwood compound, enjoying the mastery of Post-Modernist architect Frank Gehry. I ended up with so many smashing photos from the public showing, that I’ve chosen to do two blog posts about it. This post focuses primarily on the exterior metal aspects, and the next post will focus on the interior living spaces. When a home has this many spectacular angles and textures, it’s pretty easy to walk away with dozens of amazing photos.
Most of us know Gehry for his commercial structures, such as LA’s Disney Concert Hall, the Experience Music Project in Seattle, and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao Spain. However, he’s also responsible for designing 28 single-family homes, including the Schnabel House above. Built in 1989 for Rockwell Schnabel, a former ambassador to Finland – and his architect wife Marna, the home includes four sections divided up into cubes and pillars. The structure with the sphere on the top is a freestanding office, and was inspired by the Griffith Observatory. Behind it to the left, you’ll catch a glimpse of what appears to be a very long lap pool. The lower level water feature is a reflecting pond that surrounds the master bedroom pavilion. I couldn’t help but wonder what my Fend Shui instructor Dr. Simona Mainini Ph. D. would have to say about a room wrapped in copper, while also being surrounded by water. According to the scientific Feng Shui principles she teaches, those are the two most effective elements that can dramatically influence a home’s electromagnetic field. Water holds chi, thus raising the energy around a home, as does metal.
Good Feng Shui or not, this home continues to appreciate in value. The five-bedroom, five-bathroom structure sold for $9.5 million in 2013 to Film Producer Michael LaFetra. Previously it was owned by Producer Jon Platt, who’d restored and renovated the house with Gehry’s guidance. I was bit surprised when I read that because I was thinking as I walked through the home that the bathrooms could use a little updating. The materials for the cabinets, tile and sinks seemed pretty basic considering todays luxurious aesthetic. But I suppose a home such as this is a work of art in it’s own right, so any alterations have to be done very wisely.
In the event that you’re interested in this home, you can contact realtor Cory Weiss at cory.weiss@elliman.com or contact Douglas Elliman Real Estate.