LaFetra Beach House by Pierre Koenig

When the Gantert Residence in the Hollywood Hills hit the market last fall, it was frequently described as the last built house designed by Pierre Koenig, who’s most famous for his Case Study Houses Nos. 21 and 22 (aka the Stahl House). The Gantert has just been bumped–sort of. For years, Serial mid-century modern collector/preservationist Michael LaFetra has talked about his plans to build a Koenig design on a beachfront lot in Malibu that was once occupied by a Pia Zadora-owned spec house. In fact, he bought that land in 1999, before even his first major modern acquisition, CSH No. 21. Shortly after buying 21, he got a call from Koenig, according to a 2005 LA Times article, and they became friends. In 2000 Koenig offered to build LaFetra a beach house. The house has just been finished, but Koenig died in 2004.

According to the old LAT story, “The plan Koenig ultimately came up with called for a house built from a massive steel-and-glass grid, with living space on the first two floors and three bedrooms on the top level. The entire wall facing the ocean would be made of transparent glass. Although LaFetra asked for polished concrete and cork floors in place of the vinyl tile Koenig favored, in most other ways the house would adhere to Koenig’s spare style. It would have an open floor plan and would be finished with Sheetrock and painted steel.”

LaFetra Beach House, Malibu, California, by Pierre Koenig, via: Curbed LA, and Los Angeles Times

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

Previous Entry Next Entry

No.216 Sideboard by Jesper Ståhl for Voice

Carousel Weather Vane by George Nelson & Associates

Editor's Picks

Konstantin B
…the compensation for all the things you simply did not do, polished to perfection. [more...]

Design Icons

Fjordfiesta Scandia Senior
by Hans Brattrud
A Norwegian furniture design classic from 1957, Scandia Senior is a comfortable high-back easy chair with a leather head cushion, on a satin swivel base. [more...]

Resources

More Books

Case Study Houses
“It’s a huge coffee-table book, which analyses each of the houses in chronological order, with plans, sketches and glorious photographs.” [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

The Eames Lounge Chair
The book examines the evolution of a design icon and places it in its cultural, historical and social context. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

The U.N. Building
Symbol of world humanitarianism, a beacon of unity after the Second World War. More than 50 years on, the 39-story building is regarded as one of the pinnacles of mid-century modernism. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

Loblolly House
Including a DVD of the film "A House in the Trees", a real-time documentary of the design, fabrication, and assembly of this amazing house. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

Desire
The Shape of Things to Come. An up-to-date comprehensive survey on furniture and object design today, showcasing the crème de la crème of designers. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

Marcel Wanders
Behind the Ceiling is the first monograph on one of the most influential, prolific and celebrated international designers today. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

How to Wrap Five Eggs
A mid-60s classic of Japanese design. Stunningly laid-out paean to traditional Japanese packaging is rife with sumptuous black and white photos of all manner of boxes, wrappers and containers that appear at once homely and sophisticated, ingeniously utilitarian yet fine and rare. [more...]
Buy it here: Amazon

Follow Daily Icon

Email Address:

Categories

No.216 Sideboard by Jesper Ståhl for Voice

Carousel Weather Vane by George Nelson & Associates