Hidden in the hills of bucolic La Crescenta is a pedigreed property that packs quite a punch. Occupying nearly six acres, the compound contains two houses, each visually arresting in its own unique way. House #1, known as the Dorothy Serulnic Residence was designed in 1953 by Richard Neutra for his secretary and her husband. A quintessential California Modern, this 1,350-square-foot open-plan residence features two bedrooms, one bath, walls of glass, a Bear Valley stone fireplace, and an abundance of fantastic Neutra-designed built-ins, including a sofa, vanities, a desk, and a "sliding" kitchen table. Serulnic resided in the house for more than four decades, until 1997, when she sold it to artists Lari Pittman and Roy Dowell. In addition to planting a spectacular cactus garden on the site, Pittman and Dowell commissioned architect Michael Maltzan to build House #2.
Completed in 2009, the Pittman-Dowell Residence is a seven-sided structure "dissected and portioned into a series of triangles and polygons" that reveals rooms in a pinwheeling progression rather than the traditional linear fashion. Per the listing, "All rooms are anchored by a raised interior open courtyard which becomes the core of the architectural experience." The subject of a 2010 feature in Architectural Record, Maltzan's design has been honored with three awards from the American Institute of Architects. Asking price for the singular compound is $7.9 million.
· 3947 Markridge Road [Official Site]
· MONUMENTAL ARCHITECTURAL COMPOUND [Sotheby's]
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