Pierre Koenig’s Cube In Rustic Canyon, $3.79M
Author:Philip FerratoHovering above its site in Santa Monica, Pierre Koenig’s 1994 Schwartz House was the architect’s last built commission—after decades as an influential teacher and mentor—in a career that had begun with a jolt with his Case Study House #22, AKA The Stahl House, that tour-de-force in steel and glass cantilevered out over Los Angeles. Here in the Schwartz House, Koenig has deftly rotated the living spaces 30 degrees on axis, giving them a southerly exposure and minimizing the structure’s visible bulk with walls of glass and wide-open views. The interiors have been completely and sensitively restored in the past year, updated and retaining their original, minimalist ambiance, joined by a spectacular spiral staircase.
In addition to the 3-bed, 2-5-bath main house, there’s a separate 1-bed, 1-bath guest suite (or office) on the garden level, where the almost-Piranesian effect of Koenig’s design is at its most dramatic, with massive poured-concrete piers and steel beams within reach.
More: Go to the listing for additional images and details; there’s even a brief video on Instagram. A superb piece of LA’s architectural heritage, represented by noted architecture specialist Brian Linder at Compass.
