Iconic California architect John Lautner is widely celebrated for his midcentury masterpieces in the Hollywood Hills. Now, his acclaimed Bergren Residence is up for grabs.
Built in 1953 for Big Band guitarist Ted Bergren, the two-bedroom modernist gem sits just above Runyon Canyon and has gone through a series of remodels since its conception nearly 70 years ago—once by Lautner himself and most recently, by LA-based firm Escher Gune Wardena. Overlooking the San Fernando Valley, the angular abode still remains faithful to Lautner’s original design despite its reimagining. Think a V-shaped roof, concrete floors, large glass windows and wood-beamed ceilings—all features the architect picked up as an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright.
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“I’ve always been a fan of good architecture, like [Richard] Neutra and Lautner,” seller Hiram Banks tells Mansion Global. “I worked with the architects who actually wrote the book on Lautner and did the archives at the Getty Center on Lautner. They took it back to what it was, because a lot of things have been done over the years that were not good to the house.”
In its former state, the Bergren Residence was designed as a bachelor pad. Lautner later expanded the home and added an extra bedroom and bathroom per Bergren’s request. Today, it spans 1,582 square feet and the layout has been modernized by way of open-concept living and dining areas. Elsewhere, the Poliform kitchen was once overhauled by Norman Foster. However, Banks chose to keep the stainless steel-clad space for its minimalist appeal.
A few of the updates Banks oversaw during the recent GuneWardena reno included transforming a planter box on the side of the house into a contemporary water feature. In addition, the firm also revealed the original concrete flooring, replaced the roof and added new appliances and lighting.
“Everyone loves midcentury modern architecture, but it’s not always the most functional,” listing agent Anthony Mian of Douglas Elliman tells Mansion Global. “I think the fact that this is a single level and actually has an open floor plan, actually could be lived in functionally, mixed with the fact that it’s an original John Lautner house is really what sets it apart.”
The price to buy into one of the architect’s most iconic residential projects? A cool $2.9 million.
Click here to see all photos of John Lautner’s Bergren Residence.
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