Architect John Lautner
-
John Lautner (1911–1994) was an influential American architect known for his innovative and visionary approach to architecture. He was born on July 16, 1911, in Marquette, Michigan, and his unique design sensibilities would later make him a significant figure in the world of modernist and organic architecture.
Lautner's architectural education began at the Art Institute of Chicago, where he studied under Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the most renowned architects of the 20th century. Wright's principles of organic architecture, which emphasized harmony between human habitation and the natural world, would deeply influence Lautner's later work.
After completing his studies, Lautner moved to Los Angeles in the 1930s, where he worked briefly with prominent architect R.M. Schindler before striking out on his own. In 1939, he became a licensed architect and established his own architectural practice. Lautner's early projects often reflected the influence of his mentor, Frank Lloyd Wright, while also showcasing his own unique vision.
One of Lautner's most famous and iconic works is the Chemosphere House (1960), often referred to as the "flying saucer" house due to its unique octagonal design and cantilevered construction atop a single concrete column. The Chemosphere House exemplifies Lautner's penchant for pushing the boundaries of engineering and design, creating structures that seem to defy gravity and conventional architectural norms.
Another notable creation by Lautner is the Sheats-Goldstein Residence (1963), a residence that seamlessly blends into the natural landscape of the Hollywood Hills. Characterized by its fluid lines, large expanses of glass, and indoor-outdoor living spaces, the Sheats-Goldstein Residence epitomizes Lautner's commitment to creating buildings that harmonize with their surroundings.
Lautner's innovative designs often incorporated advanced engineering techniques and materials, allowing him to create visually striking and structurally daring buildings. His work extended beyond residential architecture to include commercial and institutional projects, such as the Bob Hope House in Palm Springs (1979) and the Desert Hot Springs Motel (1947).
Despite his architectural brilliance, Lautner faced challenges in gaining recognition and widespread acceptance during his lifetime. His unconventional designs occasionally met with skepticism from clients and fellow architects, and some of his visionary projects remained unbuilt or underwent modifications.
Towards the later years of his career, Lautner began to receive more recognition for his contributions to architecture. He was awarded the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Gold Medal in 1993, shortly before his passing in 1994.
John Lautner's legacy endures through his groundbreaking designs and his influence on subsequent generations of architects. His commitment to pushing the boundaries of architectural form, his emphasis on organic integration with nature, and his daring engineering solutions continue to inspire architects and designers to this day.
Projects
1940 - The John and MaryBud Lautner House
2007 Micheltorena Street, Los Angeles CA. 1244 square feet. Commissioned in 1939. Built by Paul Speer. First photo by Edward Van Altena; last three photos by Michael Locke.
1940 - The Norman Springer House
2215 Park Drive, Los Angeles CA. This 610 sf one-bedroom house was Lautner's first client in a solo practice. Commissioned in 1938, the house was built in 1940 by builder Paul Speer. Photos by Genaro Molina.
1941 - The L. N. Bell House
7714 Woodrow Wilson Drive, Los Angeles CA. Built by Paul Speer. Restorations were planned by Lautner in 1993 but not completed. Architect John Ash completed an addition and remodel that was different from Lautner's.
1942 - The Mary Astor Farm Caretaker's Cottage, Indio CA. Destroyed.
1945 - The Alexander Weinstein Renovation
1221 Hilldale Avenue, Los Angeles CA. Engineer was John E. Mackel.
1946 - The Garnett and Betty Hancock House
2107 West Silver Lake Drive, Los Angeles CA. Designed with and while working for Douglas Honnold. Sold to Michael Todd. Remodeled in 1989 by Lautner for Todd; Lautner associate Vaughan Trammel was the project architect. Photos by Michael Locke.
1947 - The Foster Carling House
7144 Hockey Trail, Los Angeles CA. Sold to Jim Curley. Sold to Bruce Eicher. Lautner did a remodel and addition in 1991. Photos via angelenoliving.com.
1947 - The Edgar F. and Allison Mauer House
932 Rome Drive, Los Angeles CA. The Mauers were their own general contractors. First photo by Michael Locke, last photos via Calisphere.
1947 - The George Jacobson Residence
3540 Multiview Drive, Hollywood CA. Used in the movie Twilight (1998, and not about vampires). Photos by Melissa Gluck and Michael Locke.
1947 - The Florence Polin House
3542 Multiview Drive, Los Angeles CA. Next door to Lautner's George Jacobson House and very similar. Top three photos by Michael Locke.
1947 - The Richard Brooks Remodel
12445 Viewcrest Road, Studio City CA. Sold to Nico Lek, who had Lautner do another addition. That one fell down the hillside in a storm.
1947 - The Henry L. Jaffe House
Designed by Doug Honnold. Lautner was the associate architect. James Charlton also participated in the design. Featured in Arts and Architecture, April 1947. Unbuilt. Photo via USModernist.
1947 - The Eisele Ski Cabin, Big Bear CA. Unbuilt.
1948 - The Abbot Apartments. Unbuilt. This was to be a 4-unit repeatable apartment complex in which the cylinders were stacked into two stories.
1948 - The William Adams Residence, Pasadena CA. Unbuilt.
1948 - The Ferber Residence, Altadena CA. Unbuilt.
1948 - The Ross Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1948 - The Stiff Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1948 - The Mayer Residence, Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1948 - The Jules Salkin Residence
1430 Avon Terrace, Los Angeles CA. For decades this was considered unbuilt. Then, in 2014, it suddenly surfaced for sale. Arthur Silvers designed a bedroom addition in 1966. Photos by Michael Locke and Jake Michaels for The New York Times.
1948 - The Arthur Eisele Guest House
7301 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles CA. Commissioned in 1946 for Eisele's mother, Hazel, who moved into the house in 1948. Photos via miguelgarciamachin.com
1948 - The Helen T. and Paul Henry Sheats Apartments, aka L'Horizon, aka the Treehouse
10919 Strathmore Drive, Los Angeles CA. Designated in 1988 as a World Heritage site. Designated in 1988 as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. Photo by Michael Locke.
1949 - The W. F. and Dorothy Gantvoort House
3778 Hampstead Road, La Cañada Flintridge CA. 1804 sf. Built by the owners. The engineer was Edgardo Contini. Photos by Dorothy Tomlinson.
1949 - The J. W. Schaeffer Residence
527 Whiting Woods Road, Glendale CA. 1698 sf. Designed for Evelyn L. Ellis, the mother of one of Lautner's employees, Jim Langenheim. Photos via Crosby Doe & Remodelista.
1949 - The Grant E. And Helen Slater Dahlstrom House
780 Laguna Road, Pasadena CA. 1853 sf. Sold to Raimund and Judith Brendel. Photos by Michael Locke.
1950 - The Leo M. and Lena Harvey House, aka the Harvey Aluminum House
2180 West Live Oak Drive, Los Angeles CA. 6788 sf. Sold to Chester Barnes, who had Lautner do several renovations. House photos by Sara Essex Bradley.
1950s - The L. Milton Wolf Guest House Addition
2869 Durand Drive, Los Angeles CA. Original house built in 1927. Photo by Jan-Richard Kikkert.
1950 - The Louise Foster House
4235 Las Cruces Drive, Sherman Oaks CA. 1200 sf. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms. Lautner converted a portion of the carport to a sitting room in 1964. Photos via RedFin.
1950 - The Monroe House, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1950 - The Noerdlinger House, Playa del Ray CA. Unbuilt.
1951 - The George A. and Grace Feaver Alexander House
5281 East El Roble Street, Long Beach CA. Photos via RedFin.
1951 - The David Shusett House
9340 Monte Leon Lane, Beverly Hills CA. The house was built to curve around a major tree. Project architect, Louis Weihle. Top five photos by Jan-Richard Kikkert and Tycho Saariste; demolition photos by Mark Haddawy.
1951 - The Baxter Hodiak Remodel
8650 Pine Tree Place, Los Angeles CA. Behind a Norman exterior is a Modernist interior designed in 1940 for Frank Lloyd Wright's granddaughter, Anne Baxter. Lloyd Wright did renovations in 1946. Sold in 1977 to agent Hal Gefsky, who owned it for over 40 years. Lautner did a renovation in 1971. Sold in late 2009 to Develop Re Inc. (Valeria Sorci and Pierpaolo Barzan). Remodel in 2010 by Johnston Marklee architects. First photo by Michael Locke. Rest of the photos via Zillow.
1952 - The Lester and Mildred (Millie) Bick Residence. Destroyed in 1989.
1952 - The Ewing Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1952 - The Fern Hepler Carr Renovation
233 South Palm Drive, Beverly Hills CA. Commissioned in 1951. The remodel included living, dining and kitchen as well as the addition of two bedrooms. Featured in Sunset Magazine, August 1952 and February and April 1953.
1952 - The Nouard Gootgeld Residence
1167 Summit Drive, Beverly Hills CA. Built by Lautner and Gootgeld; Doug Hannold did the interiors. Sold in 1958 to Cameo family. Sold to the Rothchild family. There may have been yet another owner. Sold around 1974 to Priscilla Presley, who took the house down to its beams to create a giant Italianate villa. Black and white photos from Carolyn Gootgeld Levine. The shadow in the fifth and sixth photos is John Lautner. Bottom photo (by Michael Locke) is of house on site as of 2021.
1952 - The Harry A. and Pauline Williams Residence
3329 Ledgewood Drive, Los Angeles CA. Built by Kenneth V. Johnson. Restored by Helena Arahuete. Photos via RedFin.
1953 - The Ted Tyler House
3612 Woodhill Canyon Road, Studio City CA. Sold to Peter Tangen in 1993. In 1996 Tangen did a full restoration down to the studs with the oversight of Frank Escher, Helena Arahuete, and Tracy Stone; construction by Sid Loving. A 2001 softcore film Aria was shot at the house without Tangen's consent. In 2008, with the owner's approval, the house was used in The Human Contract. Sold in 2021 to Yolanda and Anwar Hadid. Photos via Cameron Carthers & Dwell.
1953 - The Theodore (Ted) Bergren House I
7316 Caverna Drive, Los Angeles CA. Burned down in the late 1950s. Lautner rebuilt it plus an additional residence at 7312 Caverna, below. Photos via RedFin.
1953 - The John and Janet Payne Remodel
325 West Gladstone Street, San Dimas CA. Commissioned in 1947. The Paynes met Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West and commissioned Lautner to add a new master bedroom, gallery, bath and office. Photos via CrosbyDoe.
1953 - The Maxine V. Howe Residence
1655 Rotary Drive, Los Angeles CA. Altered in 1973. First photo by Michael Locke.
1953 - The Joe and Chalya Castagna Remodel
1953 - The Pittenger House, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1954 - The George and Lorena Deutsch Residence
7163 Macapa Street, Los Angeles CA. Commissioned in 1950. Photos via RedFin.
1955 - The Coneco Corporation House
3868 Scadlock Lane, Van Nuys CA. Designed for contractor Pat Hamilton as an investment for the Coneco Corporation. Hamilton lived in the house for seven years before selling it to the Thiele family who still own the property as of 2019. Lautner added a wing to the house in 1962. Photos by Michael Locke.
1955 - The Harry C. and Sylvia Fischer House
2487 Canyon Oak Drive, Los Angeles CA. Photos via RedFin, last photo by Michael Locke.
1955 - The Joseph Baldwin House
1949 Micheltorena Street, Los Angeles CA. Deeded to the Rosemary Baldwin Trust. Photo by Tycho Saariste.
1956 - The Willis Harpel Residence #1
7764 Torreyson Drive, Los Angeles CA. Sold to Peter and Annette Fulgelso. Sold in 2006 to Mark Haddawy who did a complete restoration, including ripping out a second story addition and recreating Lautner's original interiors. Photos by Gary Friedman. A guest house designed by Lautner in 1958 will be complete in 2022. Photos via markhaddawy.com.
1956 - The Stanley and Jeanne Johnson Residence
789 Pearl Street, Laguna Beach CA. Photos via Realtor.com.
1957 - The Theodore (Ted) Bergren House II
7312 Caverna Drive, Los Angeles CA. Photos via RedFin. Sold to Barry Barnholtz. Sold in 1995 to Teruyo Okubo. Sold in 2000 to James Dodge. Sold in 2004 to Oliver Hicks. Sold in 2017 to Jesse Gomez. Sold in 2021 to Steven Brand and Justin Sobodash.
1957 - The Carl K. and Agnes Pearlman Cabin
52820 Middleridge Drive, Idyllwild-Pine Cove CA.
1957 - The Paul Zahn Residence
2880 Hollyridge Drive, Los Angeles CA. Built by Kenneth V. Johnson. Sold in 1992 to Howard Rodman and Anne Friedberg, who had Lautner do a 1992 renovation. Transferred to the Rodman/Friedberg Trust. Larger photos by Jan-Richard Kikkert. Featured in DWELL, February 2002.
1957 - The Lippett House Remodels
10234 Monte Mar Drive, Los Angeles CA. Lautner remodeled a house originally designed by H. B. Aarens in 1940. Photo by Michael Locke.
1958 - The George Hatherall House
10160 Maude Avenue, Shadow Hills CA. 3.36 acres. Sold in 1999 to Ted Sprague and Bill Hargate. Has been extensively remodeled. Photos via Wikimapia & RedFin.
1958 - The Ernest S. and Mildred Lautner House, aka the Round House
539 El Cerrito Place, Pensacola FL. The client was Lautner's cousin. The house is circular with brick walls that taper, using 67 radial Douglas Fir beams and a 14-foot central pillar. The home was featured in the Pensacola News Journal, 11/2/1958. Sold to his son Max Lautner. Addition in 1991 by John Lautner. The house today is in mint condition. Stephen Lautner, son of Max, owns it as of 2012. An additional design by John Lautner was not built.
1958 - The Ubbe (Ub) E. and Mildred Iwerks House
4024 Murietta Avenue, Sherman Oaks CA. Project architect, James Charlton, to whom Lautner gave the project after getting frustrated with the client.
Photos via RedFin.
1958 - The Carl and Agnes Pearlman House, Santa Ana CA. Unbuilt.
1958 - The Sawyer House, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1958 - The Sheanin House, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1958 - The Lindenberg House, Sherman Oaks CA. Unbuilt.
1959 - The Glazier House, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1959 - The Raymond Stiff House, aka Treehouse. Unbuilt.
Drawing appeared in the Los Angeles Times, 3/8/1959 in an article about concrete posts.
1959 - The Stephen (Steve) R. and Audrey Stevenson Bosustow Renovations
16154 High Valley Place, Los Angeles CA. Other Lautner renovations 1960, 1961, and 1963. Photo by Michael Locke.
1960 - The Leonard J. Malin Residence, aka Chemosphere
7776 Torreyson Drive, Los Angeles CA. Built by John de la Vaux. In 1976, the house's second owner, Richard Kuhn, was stabbed to death there in a robbery. Sold to John Phillips and Linda Douglas. Location for the movie Body Double. Sold in 2000 to Benedikt and Angelika Taschen. Restored in 2001 by Frank Escher of Escher Gunewarda. Deeded to Benedikt Taschen. Landscaping and railings by architects Nicholson Wirts. Featured in the movies Infinite Space and Visual Acoustics. Taschen uses it only for entertaining, living elsewhere.
1960 - The Charles Concannon Residence
10106 Angelo View Drive, Beverly Hills CA. Sold to the Walters. Remodeled in the early 1980s by Lautner. Sold in 1993 to neighbor James Goldstein. Rented from 1995 to 2002 to Andrea Kreuzhage. She redesigned and updated the bedroom and kitchen. Goldstein destroyed the house in 2002 to expand his other Lautner house next door. Bottom three photos by Andrea Kreuzhage.
1960 - The Alto Capistrano Sales Office
34000 Via de Agua, San Juan Capistrano CA. Originally was a sales center/house for a planned development that never happened. Has been sold. Later owners converted the building to a public gym.
1961 - The Norman and Ruth Hinerfald Remodel
2705 Krim, Los Angeles CA. Original house built in 1955. Published in Sunset Magazine. Sold as a teardown and destroyed around 2017. These photos, and more, provided by Ruth Hinerfald. Last photo is of the replacement house, photographed by Michael Locke.
1961 - The Akers House, Malibu CA. Unbuilt.
1961 - The Marco Wolff House
8530 Hedges Place, Los Angeles CA. A 3-bedroom, 2-bath guest wing and pool added in 1963. Sold to Michael F. Brady. Sold in 2005 to SRI Company LLC. Sold in 2006 to Vincent Gallo. Sold to Michael LaFetra. Sold in 2007 to Eighty Five 30 Hedges Place LLC/Stephen Rose. Sold in 2008 to Wolff Residence 1961 LLC/Marco Diez. Sold in 2020 to Amanda Hearst and Joachim Rønning, who did a 2021 renovation designed by Clive Wilkinson. Sold in 2022 to Louis Vuitton executive Nicolas Ghesquière. Photos via Zillow.
1962 - The Russell E. and Gina Mauriello Garcia House, aka the Rainbow House
7436 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles CA. Featured in Lethal Weapon 2. Once described by the New York Times as a "Quonset hut made of glass," the home was restored in 2008 by architects Marmol Radziner and New York designer Darren Brown. Sold to actor Vincent Gallo. Sold in 2002 to William Damaschke and John McIlwee. Sold in 2023 to Nicholas C. (Nick) Pritzker.
“Garcia was a jazz musician, composer, and conductor influential in the West Coast music scene during the 1950s and 1960s. He and his wife were followers of the Baha'i Faith. One of the beliefs of the faith is that you must not sleep in the same room as where you eat. This led Lautner to design two distinct wings, separated by a central staircase and covered by a huge arched roof. The space beneath the curved roof, on top of the bedroom wing, originally doubled as a carport. During an eight-decade career, Garcia recorded more than 60 albums. He also arranged for many of the great artists of his time, including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Stan Kenton, and Julie London among others, and including Armstrong and Fitzgerald's 1958 Porgy & Bess album. Garcia sold the house in 1966 and set off on an around-the-world trip on a 41-foot trimaran. They had planned to return in three years but fell in love with New Zealand along the way and never returned. Garcia died at his New Zealand home in November 2011.” -USModernist
1962 - The Ingo Preminger Remodel and Pool
340 South Westgate, Los Angeles CA. Commissioned in 1957. Lautner did another pool remodel in 1994.
1962 - The Martel Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1963 - The Fell Residence, Beverly Hills CA. Unbuilt.
1963 - The Mann Residence, Huntington Beach CA. Unbuilt.
1963 - The Morris Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1963 - The Paul and Helen Sheats House, aka the Sheats-Goldstein House
10104 Angelo View Drive, Beverly Hills CA. James (Jim) Goldstein bought the house in 1972. The house was featured in The Big Lebowski, Bandits, Charlie's Angels Part II: Full Throttle, and countless movies, photos shoots, and commercials. Architect Duncan Nicholson, formerly with Lautner's firm, did many remodeling projects for Goldstein including the addition of a nightclub, offices, guest house, and a tennis court, top photo. Construction began in 2005 and is still going as of 2021. In 2017, Goldstein pledge the house to LACMA upon his death.
1964 - The Reiner-Burchill Residence, aka Silvertop
2138 Micheltorena Street, Los Angeles CA. Built by Wally Niewiadomski. Originally owned by Ken Reiner, who commissioned it in 1956. Reiner's business got in trouble, his wife left him, and the house sat for a decade, still unfinished. Reiner never lived there. Sold in 1974 to Jacklyn and Phillip Burchill who engaged Lautner to complete it. Sold in 2014 to Sophia Nardin and Luke Wood; renovated by architect Barbara Bestor.
1964 - The Bernard Wolfe Addition and Pool
9228 Hazen Drive, Beverly Hills CA. Bedroom, bathroom, deck, and pool added to a 1949 Richard Neutra house.
1964 - The Bay Cities Mortgages Residence, Palos Verdes CA. Unbuilt.
1964 - The Bisherat Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1964 - The Fink Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1964 - The Gary Goldsmith House, Sherman Oaks CA. Unbuilt. They bought a catalog house instead, in 1968.
1965 - The Clark Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1965 - The David Conrad Pool Addition
3000 Terraza Place, Fullerton CA. Original house built in 1957.
1965 - The Nelson Shawn Addition
8406 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles CA. Original 1962 house designed by architect David Tobin for Nathan Wheeler. The addition consisted of "add section of new floor and fill in existing balcony to make recreation room." The confusion into whether or not this is a Lautner addition is because the permit reads "John L. Hutner," the handwriting was confusing, making the L into a middle initial and the "a" into an H. Sold in 1989 to Richard Hunt. Sold in 2011 to Aaron Rollins. Sold in 2017 to So Young Lee. Photos via Apartments.com.
1966 - The Willis Harpel House #2
1900 Stanford Drive, College Village, Anchorage AK. Located on Lake Otis. The builder was John de la Vaux. Featured in Life Magazine, October 1967. Sold in the late 1980s to David and Kathryn Cuddy. For sale in 2020. Photos via Realtor.com.
1966 - The Moser Residence, Oakview CA. Unbuilt.
1968 - The Arthur Elrod House
2175 Southridge Drive, Palm Springs CA. Featured in the James Bond movie Diamonds are Forever. 9,000 square feet on about 1.2 acres. 5 bedrooms and 5.5 baths. Lautner did two remodels 1971-1972, including adding a guest house. Built by Wally Niewiadomski. Featured in the movie Infinite Space. Sold in 1995 to Ron Burkle. Sold in 2003 to Michael J. Kilroy (Southridge Associates). Foreclosed and sold in 2016 to Jeremy Scott who did a restoration led by Mark Haddawy. Photos by Leland Y. Lee.
1968 - The Dan and Enid Stevens Residence
78 Malibu Colony Road, Malibu CA. Commissioned in 1966. Structural engineers, Kamal Amin, Barney Cardan. Built by Paul Speer. Landscape architect, Huntsman-Trout. Named the 1971 House of the Year by Architectural Record. Lautner designed a bathroom remodel in 1984, completed in 1991. Deeded in 2002 to Dan's next wife Kristi Stevens. Sold to Kathleen Austin in 2004. Deeded in 2005 to Kathleen and Steve Austin. Sold in 2007 to Michael LaFetra. Deeded in 2008 to 78 Malibu Colony Road LLC, controlled by LaFetra. Sold in 2017 to actor Edward Norton through his LLC. Photos by Julius Shulman and Michael LaFetra.
1968 - The Wayne S. Zimmerman Residence
3848 Berry Drive, Studio City CA. Zimmerman was the builder. Lautner also designed an addition in 1982 which was not built. As of 2021, still owned by Zimmerman's son, Robert. Photos by Julius Shulman.
1968 - The Peters House, Thousand Oaks CA. Unbuilt.
1968 - The Robertson House, Lake Hollywood CA. Unbuilt.
1968 - The Walker House, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1968 - The Marco Wolff Mountain Cabin Remodel, aka Windsong
48700 Twin Pines Road, Banning CA. Sold in 1992 to Patrick and Gloria Smith. Sold in 2014 to Jered Cargman and Donna Loren who remodeled the kitchen. Photos via RedFin.
1969 - The Douglas P. and Octavia Willey Walstrom House
10500 Selkirk Lane, Los Angeles CA. Featured in the movie Infinite Space. Deeded to the Walstroms' daughter Diana.
1969 - The Kendall Mills Kitchen Remodel
731 Inverness Drive, La Cañada Flintridge CA. Dismantled in 2006.
1972 - The Donald C. Garwood Residence
28815 Grayfox Street, Malibu CA. Commissioned in 1971. Remodeled in 1977 without Lautner. Sold in 1996 to developer Donald Sher, who later put it in a trust. Sold in 2014 to the Magical Kingdom Land Trust, controlled by Coldplay's Chris Martin. Windsor Smith remodeled the interior. Martin got a demolition permit approved in 2019, largely without public attention as there was no mention of Lautner. With partner Dakota Jackson, he destroyed the house in 2022.
1971 - The Lueck House, San Diego CA. Unbuilt.
1971 - The Moen House, Laguna Beach CA. Unbuilt.
1971 - The Gary and Elizabeth Familian House
1011 Cove Way, Beverly Hills CA. May have been owned or rented by Rock Hudson (unverified). Sold to Frederick M. Nicholas. Renovated in 1987 by Lautner. Sold to Robert (Bobby) and Nina Kotick. Last photo by Michael Locke.
1973 - The Jeronimo Arango Jr. House, aka Casa Marbrisa
1a Cerrada Vientos Cardinales, Acapulco, Mexico. 25,000 square feet. Structural engineer, T.Y. Lin; interiors, Arthur Elrod; built by Mariano Mariscal Borroso Mahrnos; structural engineer, Dirac. Helena Arahuete designed this with Lautner her first year at his firm. Featured in Architectural Record Houses of 1977. Second photo by Sarah Sackner. Featured in the movie Infinite Space and many other documentaries.
1973 - The Franklyn House, northwest of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Unbuilt.
1973 - The Hurd Residence, Horseshoe Bay TX. Unbuilt.
1974 - The Lautner Mountain Cabin, Three Rivers, Tulare CA. Unbuilt.
1974 - The Nichols House, Farmington NM. Unbuilt.
1974 - The Lucy Residence, Horseshoe Bay TX. Unbuilt.
1974 - The Rosenthal Residence, Las Vegas NV. Unbuilt.
1974 - The Ann and Peter Tolstoy House
9540 Hillside Road, Rancho Cucamonga CA, aka Alta Loma CA. Commissioned way back in 1961! The Tolstoys did much of the construction themselves over 13 years. Sold to Donald and Debra Morgan. For sale in 2017. Photos via Zillow.
1974 - The Doumani Duplex, Marina Del Rey CA. Unbuilt.
1976 - The Curtiss Residence, Hunting Valley OH. Unbuilt. Recalled by Lautner associate Warren Lawson. The project architect was Kay M. Henderson.
1976 - The Starr Residence, Bell Canyon area of Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1976 - The Hellinger Residence, Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1976 - The Familian Beach House, Victoria Point Road, Malibu CA. Unbuilt. Featured in GA Houses 32.
1976 - The Stephen (Steve) R. and Audrey Stevenson Bosustow Cabin
1263 Lassen View Drive, Westwood CA. Commissioned in 1972. Located on Lake Almanor. Sold around 2017. Photos via Zillow.
1978 - The Johanna and William Jordan House
1617 Emerald Bay, Laguna Beach CA. Commissioned in 1973. Sold around 1991 to Tricia and Michael (Mike) Berns. Lautner was working on a renovation when he died. Bottom four photos by Brad Dunning, who did interiors for the renovation.
1978 - The Gary and Rose Spizman Goldsmith Residence II
15300 Rayneta Drive, Sherman Oaks CA. Commissioned in 1975. Helena Aruhuete was the project architect. Sven Kristensen was the builder. Goldsmith was an adjunct professor and senior lecturer at USC School of Cinematic Arts. Sold a few years later. Sold in 2013 to Peter Kopelevich and Anna Dadalova.
1978 - The Robert Aldrich Pool and House Addition
501 North Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles CA. Commissioned in 1977. Pool area has been completely remodeled. Sold in 2015.
1978 - The Roy Maloney Duplex Remodel
4400 The Strand, Manhattan Beach CA. Lautner added windows and a new terrace to improve the appearance as well as add to a "leisurely lifestyle." The property is still owned by the Maloney family as of 2020.
1979 - The Joann F. and Gilbert (Gil) N. Segel Residence
22426 East Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu CA. The project architect was Warren Lawson. Lautner did a studio addition in 1986, which was destroyed in 2016. Sold to actors David and Courteney Cox Arquette through a trust. Sold in 2007 to Frank and Jamie McCourt. The McCourts bought the three-bedroom, three bathroom house next door in 2008 as a guest house. Deeded in 2012 to Jamie McCourt. Photography by Roger Davies via ArchDigest.
1979 - The Bob and Dolores Hope Residence
2466 Southridge Drive, Palm Springs CA. Commissioned in 1969. Close to the Elrod House. Has 17,531 square feet, six bedrooms, and ten bathrooms. Located in a gated community, no public access. Built by Wally Niewiadomski. Lautner got the help of noted concrete expert Felix Candela in 1970. The first design burned down in 1973 during construction. Dolores Hope made sweeping interior changes to the second 1977 design - so much so that Lautner distanced himself from the project. Photos by Tasya Van Ree and Warren Lawson. Deeded to daughter Linda Hope. Sold in 2016 to Ron Burkle. Helena Arahuete did a 2020 restoration. Photos via Zillow.
About 1979 - The Ron Popeil Residence
Colewater Canyon area of Los Angeles CA, recalled by Lautner associate Warren Lawson. Unbuilt.
About 1980 - The DePortillo Residence
Located near Frank Lloyd Wright's Ennis House, recalled by Lautner associate Roger Bennett. The client, Mrs. DePortillo, wanted the most beautiful house in Los Angeles. After many schemes, the client decided not to build.
1980 - The Robert and Marjorie Rawlins Residence
804 South Bay Front, Newport Beach CA. 2100 sf. Project architect Warren Lawson. Built on the last bayfront lot on Balboa Island. Robert died in 1993 and Marjorie died in 2009. Sold to 8530 Hedges Place LLC (Michael LaFetra) who did a renovation. Listed in the Natonal Register of Historic Places as the Rawlins- LaFetra House. Sold in 2016 to Barbara and Daniel Abbott.
1980 - The Bornstein House, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.
1981 - The Turner Condominiums, Marina Del Rey CA. Unbuilt.
1981 - The Lynn Residence, Santa Barbara CA. A 5000-square-foot concrete house. Unbuilt.
1981 - The Ellersieck Residence, Altadena CA. Unbuilt.
1981 - The Elizabeth Crahan Pool Renovation
341 South Westmoreland, Los Angeles CA. Commissioned in 1980. Donated to an order of nuns.
1982 - The Allan and Jude Risk-Turner Residence
51 Heather Lane, Aspen CO. Designed with William Poss. Lautner described it as "creating a snowdrift in winter and a grass mound in summer." Two million pounds of post-inch steel run under the house, holding it together like a bow and arrow. When snow piles on the house or when there's a change in humidity or heat, the roof moves up or down. Sold in 2002 to Milton and Saralyn Sidley who have done remodeling. Bottom photo by Jan-Richard Kikkert. Featured in the movie Infinite Space.
1982 - The Alden Schwimmer Residence
1435 Bella Drive, Beverly Hills CA. Sold in 2004 to Harriet Selling-Canepa who did renovations led by architect Duncan Nicholson. Sold in 2009 to Fred Droesch who put it in a trust. There were a few fiduciary owners then it was sold in 2015 to the San Pasquel Fiduciary Trust and the Bella Trust.
1983 - The Shirlin and Stanley Beyer Residence
6515 Point Lechuza Drive, Malibu CA. Commissioned in 1975. Various disputes with the California Coastal Commission plus cost overruns took the project way over time and budget. Architect Warren Lawson worked with Lautner on early versions. Beyer fired Lautner and the project was finished by architect Richard Turner. Featured in GA Houses 32. Pool and terrace modifications in 1987 by Lautner. Sold in 1998 to Sam Zell. Deeded to Zell's company IZL LLC.
1983 - The Morton A. (Bud) and Sandy Krause House
24444 Malibu Road, Malibu CA. According to Roger Bennett, the project architect, the original owners intended it as a spec house but loved it so much they stayed. Sold in 1994 to the Rice Trust. Sold in 2000 to Richard (Dick) and Cindy Troop, who put it in a trust. For rent in 2015. Photos via Zillow.
1984 - The Ring House, Malibu CA. Unbuilt.
1986 - The Roven House, Beverly Hills CA. Unbuilt.
1988 - The Haagen Beach Residence, Malibu CA. Unbuilt.
1987 - The Sunset Plaza Entrance Gate
2300 Sunset Plaza Drive, Los Angeles CA. Lautner was hired to design a new house for owner Allen Levy but only the gate was completed. Commissioned in 1983. Sold in 2019 to Central Diagnostic Laboratory, owned by Levy.
1989 - The Harry and Beatrice Boykoff Remodel
11499 Thurston Circle, Los Angeles CA. Original house built in 1958 for M. A. Kuhn, architect unknown. Sold in 2018 to Helan Bawa. Remodel underway in 2018. Photos via RedFin.
1990 - The Allen N. Levy Residence, aka the Concrete Castle, aka the Pacific Coast House, aka the Concrete Contemporary, aka the Malibu Cliff House
32402 East Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu CA. Commissioned in 1980. Helena Arahuete was the project architect. Engineering by Andrew Nasser. Built by Wally Niewiadomski. Robin Pourier also worked building the house for two years. Lautner had the rare client with pretty much an unlimited budget. This was Lautner's last major project. Levy asked Lautner for a "whole new world, private, serene, and soundproof," folding the land into a huge discrete enclosure. All normal distinctions between roof and wall were forgotten. The house had "35-foot high, varying, curving, sloping concrete walls enclosing the entire property as living space and becoming the roof of the main house - all one idea." A ramp leads up along the outside of one of the walls, crosses through the wall, and slips beneath the roof, folding out of the perimeter wall. A series of apertures in an irregular pattern bring light through the shell and give the roof a visual lightness. The cavernous shell at its apex only four inches thick. Top two photos by Mike Burns. Bottom right photo by Bette Cohen from her documentary, The Spirit in Architecture: John Lautner. Featured in GA Houses 28. Sold in 1991 to the Sagheb Trust. Sold to Central Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. then in 2014 to Iteco Ltd. These are companies connected to Levy.
1990 - The Townsend Residence, Malibu CA. Unbuilt.
1990 - The Boli Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt
1990 - The Yokeno House, 1156 Lachman Lane, Pacific Palisades CA. 7000 square feet. Project stopped just after construction started when the couple separated.
1993 - The J. Kirk Wood Residence, aka Living with Nature, aka Greenhouse,
Rambia Pacifico Street, Malibu CA. Featured in GA Houses 52. Helena Arahuete was the project architect. Unbuilt.
1992 - The Steven and Miriam Shearing House
15 Green Turtle Road, Coronado Cays, Coronado CA. 3675 sf. Sold in 2000 to the Garcia Family Trust. Sold in 2012 to the Elizabeth Remley Trust. Photos via RedFin.
1994 - The Whiting Residence, aka Residence in Northwest USA, Sun Valley ID. Published in GA Houses 52. This was the last house Lautner designed. Unbuilt.
DISCLAIMER: THE MILLIE VINTAGE DOES NOT OWN ANY RIGHTS TO THESE PHOTOS. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL IMAGES AND COPYRIGHT BELONGS TO THE ORIGINAL OWNERS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.
MORE LIKE THIS
