An incredible "invisible" house made entirely of glass has been listed for sale. The property, located in Joshua Tree, California, is made up of mirrors that reflect the rectangular building's surroundings. Its reflecting surface disguises the home as it blends in seamlessly with the rocky desert landscape around it. The three-bedroom property is certainly unique but it comes with a hefty price tag of £15million ($18m). The home's futuristic design was reportedly inspired by the 2001 Sci-Fi classic A Space Odyssey. It was commissioned by film producers Chris and Roberta Hanley – known for American Psycho and The Virgin Suicides – and was created by architect Tomas Orsinski. The home sits on a massive 67 acres of land and offers 5,500 sq feet of interior space. It's made from innovative heat-reflecting Solarcool glass which keeps the interiors temperate in the harsh desert weather and filters out harmful UV rays. But three sides of the glass walls open up so that residents can also enjoy an indoor-outdoor living concept. Inside, the home is just as sleek and modern, featuring a 100-foot heated indoor swimming pool next to a 224-square-foot projection wall designed for screening films. The house has three bedrooms that each has its own en-suite bathroom, and the master bedroom follows the glass theme with a giant glass bed frame. It also has a 5-star resort-inspired bath with a soaking tub, floating vanities, and rain shower. Meanwhile, the bright white kitchen includes dual ovens, separate refrigerator and freezer storage, marble surfaces, and Miele, Sub Zero, and Wolf appliances anchored upon sleek concrete flooring. The property has a Flos lighting system that creates radiant ambient lighting with options for different colours to fit the mood. The lavish home is also made more sustainable with an eco-friendly foam roof and solar-electric system. The striking building has appeared in a number of film projects and was featured on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, having previously been a luxury Airbnb stay with a nightly price of $2,500. It is bordered by tranquil national parkland and a tortoise reserve and is located 10 minutes away from Joshua Tree’s downtown. The property – which was featured on TopTenRealEstateDeals.com – is currently available with Aaron Kirman and Matt Adamo of AKG | Christie's International Real Estate. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/invisible-mirror-home-hits-market-29140021
FEATURED ARTICLE
Inspired by the sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, a home in Joshua Tree, California is a 5,500-square-foot mirrored box that reflects back the surrounding desert scenery and seems to blend into the landscape, according to the press release. The Invisible House is for sale and featured this week at www.TopTenRealEstateDeals.com. The home reflects back to the surrounding desert scenery and seems to blend into the landscape. Heat reflecting Solarcool glass gives the home its unique look and keeps the interiors temperate, despite the harsh desert weather, and filters out harmful UV rays. An eco-friendly foam roof and solar-electric system make the house a model of sustainability. Sitting on 67 acres of tranquil desert, the home provides seclusion and oneness with nature. With cameos in numerous film projects and more extensive coverage on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, the home has been available as both a film location and a luxury Airbnb stay with a per-night price of $2,500. A good mix of home and nature, the property is bordered by national parkland and a gated tortoise reserve, but it is only ten minutes from Joshua Tree’s downtown. Other nearby options for entertainment include the Noah Purifoy Art Museum and truly limitless hiking trails. The listing is held by Aaron Kirman and Matt Adamo of AKG, Christie’s International Real Estate. For more information, celebrity home news, and celebrity home video tours, visit www.TopTenRealEstateDeals.com. https://nbcpalmsprings.com/2023/02/02/invisible-house-lists-for-18-million/
Aaron Kirman of luxury residential sales brokerage AKG | Christie’s International Real Estate, a top L.A. real estate broker who starred in CNBC’s “Listing Impossible,” has partnered with Davis Saadian’s team, the Davis Saadian Group. “Partnering with Aaron will allow our team to deliver a more robust commercial real estate portfolio to our highly exclusive network of clientele, while also expanding our team into the high-end residential real estate side of the business,” Saadian said. Saadian’s team will join Kirman’s team, which currently has about 160 agents and 14 full-time support staff. The goal of the partnership is to diversify AKG’s portfolio to include investment opportunities for clients. The group will focus on luxury listings in areas like Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills, Malibu and downtown Los Angeles. Saadian, who specializes in in multifamily investments and developments, will lead the commercial real estate division and the company expansion. “This partnership reflects the growing trend towards mixed-use buildings, which will allow us to offer a wider array of investment opportunities to our influential and discerning clientele,” said Kirman. “This new division also offers countless avenues for growth and expansion, both within the new division and for our company at large.” AKG has a total of $14 billion in luxury real estate sales and closed more than $1.6 billion in sales in 2022. The company ranked fourth in California in the 2022 RealTrends America’s Best rankings in the mega team by sales volume category. The Davis Saadian Group closed more than $285 million in sales in 2022, with a total sales volume of more than $1.2 billion. The group recently sold an 11-property student housing portfolio in downtown Los Angeles to the University of Southern California for $28.5 million. It also co-listed a $33 million listing in Bel-Air with Kirman. Saadian started his career as a commercial real estate broker at Marcus & Millichap. He later held the role of senior vice president of commercial real estate at BRC Advisors prior to founding Saadian Investments, Inc. in 2012, where he oversaw the acquisition and repositioning of multifamily and residential investments and developments. This partnership comes a week after Morgan Trent, president of Trent Luxury and former NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals cornerback, announced his departure from Compass to join AKG. Trent’s team has more than $8 billion in total sales. Last November, Kirman and his team also left Compass to launch their own firm in partnership with Christie’s International Real Estate. https://www.realtrends.com/articles/davis-saadian-group-partners-with-aaron-kirmans-akg-brokerage/
An incredible Californian mansion with stunning views of LA has hit the market for £13million. But perhaps the real point of interest is that it’s propped up on 60-foot stilts. Garcia House was designed by renowned architect John Lautner and was originally built in 1962 – though has since undergone renovations. The towering property boasts three bedrooms, three bathrooms, enormous living spaces and, of course, plenty of windows to take in the views. If that wasn’t enough, it also has an entryway made of lava rock, original terrazzo flooring and a 55-foot wall of windows. So it’s safe to say it has points of interest at every turn. Also, if you head outside, the hillside steps will take you through the verdant garden – designed by landscape architect John Sharp – and to the swimming pool. It’s currently on the market with Aaron Kirman, Weston Littlefield, and Dalton Gomez of AKG, Christie’s International Real Estate. The listing for the impressive home reads: ‘60-foot caissons elevating the structure above the canyon showcase breathtaking panoramic views of Los Angeles. ‘Capture your place in history and experience a home that truly transcends time.’ Elsewhere in the world of property, a house is up for auction in London for £40,000 – but there’s a catch. Feast on more pics of the Instagram-worthy Californian mansion below: https://metro.co.uk/2023/01/28/californian-mansion-propped-up-on-60-foot-stilts-for-sale-13million-18180734/
Lloyd Wright’s personal residence and studio in West Hollywood (also designed by the architect) is on the market for just under $7 million. Though his name is inevitably confused with that of his father, Frank Lloyd Wright – Southern California architect Lloyd Wright is a design icon in his own right. While his father is best known for working across various states (including Pennsylvania, where he created the iconic Fallingwater prairie-style home), Lloyd Wright primarily made his mark in Los Angeles. Among his most notable works was his own residence, located in vibrant West Hollywood. The landmark – among the most iconic structures in California (and one of the world's best homes) was originally constructed in the 1920s. However, Lloyd's son, Eric Wright, significantly updated the property in the 1990s – adding a new foundation and restoring some blocks that had deteriorated over the years. In the studio within this home, the Illinois-born architect oversaw the construction of many of his father’s projects, including Hollyhock House in the East Hollywood neighborhood. Lloyd Wright also provided the shells for the Hollywood Bowl and created the Swedenborg Memorial Chapel at Rancho Palos Verdes during his career. The home's architectural assets offer much to be admired – but in all its glory – its beige-toned stucco façade is perhaps the most striking. This exterior is elevated further by the architect's signature interlocking concrete blocks that include a Joshua tree motif – paying complete homage to The Golden State. Inside, the decorating ideas are equally as distinctive – from the strong wooden walls and floor to the intricate green and white living space that mirrors the exterior's color ideas. The 2,400-square-foot home has three bedrooms, two baths (according to the listing), and a large upstairs living room with a fireplace and beautiful wood and glass alcove. The mint-hued kitchen, complete with modern appliances, is also found upstairs, alongside the main living and dining space. The downstairs studio has a spacious workspace with concrete floors centered around the great outdoor patio that masters the art of indoor/outdoor living. The enclosed patio showcases a fountain and pre-Columbian statue that is that’s protected under a conservation easement by the Los Angeles Conservancy. https://www.homesandgardens.com/news/lloyd-wright-west-hollywood-home
Sugar Ray Leonard has shaved the price of his supersized Tuscan-style Los Angeles villa, which has a serene setting and scenic views. The Florentine-style mansion has a romantic, period look and lies in the affluent coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, close to beaches. The welterweight champion and his wife Bernadette Robi first listed their property in 2019 for $51.995 million with another agent. In the fall, they relisted it for $7 million under its original asking price. The couple bought the sprawling pink stucco property, which has 1950s origins, in 1993. They rebuilt it in the late 1990s with architect Richard Landry—known for building celebrity mansions—to emulate old-world Italian architecture, with impressive, imported stone and custom timber features. Now with their children grown up and no longer at home, they are looking to downsize, according to the selling agent. The hillside Los Angeles compound has a sprawling layout and 1.7 acres of private grounds, mostly formed of manicured lawns. It is arranged with wings for entertaining on a grand scale and cozier living spaces for family living. The mansion’s highlights include its chef’s kitchen, a two-story galleried family room and a cloistered living room, which has an almost open-air feel. Located in the upper Riviera enclave of Pacific Palisades, its indoor-outdoor design makes the most of its tranquil grounds. Many of its arched glass doors adjoin terraces and balconies. The mansion is backdropped by the Santa Monica Mountains and has glimpses of the Pacific Ocean. Rooms in the Italianate mansion have high ceilings embellished with bespoke wooden ceiling beams and wrought-iron detailing, as well as elegant stone fireplaces, columns, floor tiles and an entrance hall water fountain. Its primary bedroom, meanwhile, has a resort-style bath and several ocean view balconies. Mr. Leonard was the first boxer ever to win over $100 million in purses during his 20-year professional sporting career. He famously won five world championship titles in his 1980s heyday. “Sugar Ray is one of the great boxers of all time, and it’s an honor to represent his family home,” said Aaron Kirman of Aaron Kirman Group at Christie’s International Real Estate. He added that the “compound is completely private, yet perfect for entertaining throughout the year.” Stats The 16,773-square-foot, three-story house has eight bedrooms, 15 bathrooms and a range of living spaces, including a formal dining room, plus a guest house. It stands on 1.7 acres. Amenities There’s a cinema room and a wine cellar. And beside the stone-surround pool is a two-story, Italian-style pool house, or guest house, and a cabana, which offers poolside shade in the hotter months. The grounds also have a walled tennis court and an outdoor practice putting green. Neighborhood Notes The Amalfi Road house lies in the upper Riviera neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, which has the Riviera Country Club that has tennis courts and a championship golf course. This picturesque coastal region has historically been home to many celebrities and features dramatic scenery covering parts of the Santa Monica Mountains, and winding streets, some of which are named after locations in Italy. It is minutes from the Pacific Coast Highway and coastal beaches. Agent: Aaron Kirman, Kirby Gillon, Bryce Lowe and Daniel Milstein of AKG | Christie’s International Real Estate https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/inside-sugar-ray-leonards-serene-los-angeles-megamansion-01674648278
The house, owned by producer Bill Damaschke and business manager John McIlwee, sits on 60 foot stilts and includes a pool, spiral staircase and sunken living room. Back in 2002, John McIlwee and Bill Damaschke bought a historic John Lautner-designed residence towering high above Los Angeles. The couple never intended to purchase the modernist-style home — per an article in The Wall Street Journal — but they went on to visit the eye-catching cantilevered structure, and subsequently wound up with the deed to what was then an almond-shaped fixer-upper that resembled something straight out of The Jetsons. Now the showbiz pair — McIlwee a longtime entertainment business manager, and Damaschke a Tony-winning Broadway producer — have decided to sell their unique and updated Hollywood Hills home off Mullholland Drive, asking a whopping $16 million. That’s almost $15 million more than they paid actor/director Vincent Gallo for the property, which made an appearance in the 1989 film Lethal Weapon 2. But the pair did undertake an extensive restoration of the premises during their tenure, working with the interior design firm Marmol Radziner — known for its renovation of Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House in Palm Springs — to bring it as close back to its original state as possible. Originally built in the early 1960s for film composer and arranger Russell Garcia and his wife Gina, and aptly named the Garcia House, the two-story structure features three bedrooms and a matching number of baths in just over 2,500 square feet of living space crafted by interior designer Darren Brown. Perched atop a steep and heavily wooded hillside parcel spanning over an acre, the dramatic home is distinguished by a signature parabolic roof, 50-foot wall of colorful stained-glass windows — hence its other nickname, The Rainbow House — and 60-foot concrete caissons elevating the structure high above the canyon below. A large balcony and sweeping spiral staircase also are part of the home’s appeal, while a hillside garden designed by landscape architect John Sharp leads via a meandering pathway lined with agave, cacti and a huge rubber tree down to an ellipse-shaped pool that was tacked on around 2008 using Lautner’s original sketches. A lava rock entryway opens into interiors adorned throughout with the original terrazzo floors. From there, a sunken living room displays a massive stone fireplace, built-in banquette seating, stained walnut cabinetry and walls of glass. Other highlights include a media room and curved dining area topped by a custom chandelier original to the house, along with an updated kitchen that retains the original sink and boasts newer Dacor appliances. The aforementioned spiral staircase separates the living area from the main bedrooms, which include a master suite outfitted with a seating area overlooking the L.A. Basin. According to The Wall Street Journal, McIlwee and Damaschke are selling because they are spending more time in New York, where they maintain a Tribeca home. They also own Gerald and Betty Ford’s former Rancho Mirage getaway. The listing is held by Weston Littlefield, Aaron Kirman and Dalton Gomez of AKG | Christie’s International Real Estate. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/real-estate/john-lautner-garcia-house-hollywood-hills-for-sale-1235305737/amp/
Back in 2002, John McIlwee and Bill Damaschke bought a historic John Lautner-designed residence towering high above Los Angeles. The couple never intended to purchase the modernist-style home — per an article in The Wall Street Journal — but they went on to visit the eye-catching cantilevered structure, and subsequently wound up with the deed to what was then an almond-shaped fixer-upper that resembled something straight out of “The Jetsons.” Now the showbiz pair — McIlwee a longtime entertainment business manager, and Damaschke a Tony-winning Broadway producer — have decided to sell their unique and updated Hollywood Hills home off Mullholland Drive, asking a whopping $16 million. That’s almost $15 million more than they paid actor/director Vincent Gallo for the property, which made an appearance in the 1989 film “Lethal Weapon 2.” But the pair did undertake an extensive restoration of the premises during their tenure, working with the interior design firm Marmol Radziner — known for its renovation of Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House in Palm Springs — to bring it as close back to its original state as possible. Originally built in the early 1960s for film composer and arranger Russell Garcia and his wife Gina, and aptly named the “Garcia House,” the two-story structure features three bedrooms and a matching number of baths in just over 2,500 square feet of living space crafted by interior designer Darren Brown. Perched atop a steep and heavily wooded hillside parcel spanning over an acre, the dramatic home is distinguished by a signature parabolic roof, 50-foot wall of colorful stained-glass windows — hence its other nickname, “The Rainbow House” — and 60-foot concrete caissons elevating the structure high above the canyon below. A large balcony and sweeping spiral staircase also are part of the home’s appeal, while a hillside garden designed by landscape architect John Sharp leads via a meandering pathway lined with agave, cacti and a huge rubber tree down to an ellipse-shaped pool that was tacked on around 2008 using Lautner’s original sketches. A lava rock entryway opens into interiors adorned throughout with the original terrazzo floors. From there, a sunken living room displays a massive stone fireplace, built-in banquette seating, stained walnut cabinetry and walls of glass. Other highlights include a media room and curved dining area topped by a custom chandelier original to the house, along with an updated kitchen that retains the original sink and boasts newer Dacor appliances. The aforementioned spiral staircase separates the living area from the main bedrooms, which include a master suite outfitted with a seating area overlooking the L.A. Basin. According to The Wall Street Journal, McIlwee and Damaschke are selling because they are spending more time in New York, where they maintain a Tribeca home. They also own Gerald and Betty Ford’s former Rancho Mirage getaway. The listing is held by Weston Littlefield, Aaron Kirman and Dalton Gomez of AKG | Christie’s International Real Estate. https://www.dirt.com/gallery/showbiz/entertainment-industry/john-lautner-garcia-house-hollywood-hills-1203613937/rd_garcia_0574_v2_f3/
Remember that scene in Lethal Weapon 2 when Mel Gibson dragged a glassy manse down a hill with just his truck? Thankfully, the home in question was just a replica, but the real-life version of that modernist masterpiece is up for grabs for the first time in 20 years. Built in the ‘60s by late California architect John Lautner, the Garcia House is one of the most significant midcentury properties in all of Los Angeles. Mirroring the shape of an almond—or a rainbow, depending on who you ask—the Mulholland Drive dwelling appears to defy gravity. That’s because it’s actually floating 60 feet off the ground on stilts. Its owners, Broadway producer Bill Damaschke and his partner, John McIlwee, bought the abode back in 2002 and are now offering up their prized pad for a cool $16 million, reported The Wall Street Journal. “This isn’t one of those houses where you’re basing it off price per square foot. We’re basically going to market it as an art piece that fortunately you can live in,” listing agent Weston Littlefield of AKG | Christie’s International Real Estate, told WSJ. Spanning 2,600 square feet, the residence has three bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms and even includes an ellipse-shaped pool, which was added in 2008 using Lautner’s original design. In 2012, the home underwent a massive renovation led by Leo Marmol of Marmol Radziner, the same architecture firm that restored Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann Desert House in Palm Springs. “The Garcia House is just such a beautifully exuberant, graceful structure,” managing partner Leo Marmol told the publication. “Lautner’s work is always such a celebration but, with this project in particular, the scale is so small and delicate.” It took the team roughly a year and $1 million to complete the remodel, but rest assured all the updates adhere to Lautner’s style. You’ll find original terrazzo flooring throughout, lava rock walls and colorful stained-glass panels. Some of its most defining features include soaring 30-foot windows, a large spiral staircase that connects the living area to the bedrooms and, of course, its sweeping, parabolic roof. “This house has changed our lives, but 20 years is a long time,” McIlwee told WSJ. “We’ve kind of experienced everything we’re going to experience here. We’re ready to pass the torch.” Weston Littlefield, Aaron Kirman and Dalton Gomez of AKG | Christie’s International Real Estate hold the listing together. https://robbreport.com/shelter/homes-for-sale/john-lautners-garcia-house-in-lethal-weapon-2-can-be-yours-16-million-1234797229/
The Hollywood production duo behind American Psycho and The Virgin Suicides have listed their one-of-a-kind 'invisible' house in the desert for a whopping $18million - hoping the unique house will be as much of a hit as some of their past projects. Chris and Roberta Hanley, who have been partners in life and work since meeting in college, spent years designing and building their dream home in Joshua Tree, California after being informed that their 720 square foot temporary guesthouse violated local regulations because it was too small. The couple decided to go big - and go home. They began dreaming up their 5,500 square foot mansion that comes complete with an indoor-outdoor pool, four bedrooms, 360-degree views of the astounding natural views of Joshua Tree, and visual features are so spectacular the home was featured on Netflix's 'The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals.' It has also become something of an industry secret, playing host over the years to A-list guests including singer Demi Lovato and musician Diplo. 'I think Demi Lovato saw aliens there,' Chris told The Wall Street Journal. The home was designed by the couple and originally sketched by Chris, who said he was inspired by the black cuboid monolith that appeared in the film '2001: A Space Odyssey,' as well as the work of Bauhaus architects Lugwig Mies van der Rohe. Van der Rohe is part of a small school of architects credited with transforming the look of American industry - particularly, office buildings in cosmopolitan hubs. He famously designed the Seagram Building in New York City. Chris' initial effort, however, may have been a little less involved. 'I just drew a rectangle on paper and said, 'OK, we'll build this,'' he told the Journal. He said he was angling for an 'ultra-minimal thing.'