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West House (Case Study House #18)

The most unique feature of Case Study House #18 is a double-sided fireplace that faces the living room on one side and the garden room on the other.

Place Details

• Rodney A. Walker

Designation

• Private Residence - Do Not Disturb

Property Type

• Single-Family Residential
• Available for Special Events
• Los Angeles

Case Study House #18, also known as the West House, was constructed on a bluff overlooking the ocean in Pacific Palisades. It was the first of four adjacent houses on Chautauqua Boulevard that were built under the auspices of Arts & Architecture magazine’s Case Study House program; within two years, the neighboring Case Study Houses #8 , #9 , and #20 were completed.

Designed by Rodney Walker and completed in 1948, the 1,600 square foot West House contains a living-dining room, garden room, kitchen, two bedrooms, and two baths.

Walker oriented the public areas to take full advantage of tremendous ocean views by employing floor-to ceiling-glass panels.

The house was built with wood framing set at three-foot intervals, which also assisted in economy and efficiency in the building process. The most unique interior feature of the dwelling is a large floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace faced with copper that dominates the living room and around which the roof is raised to 11 feet to accommodate clerestory windows. The fireplace is double sided with one side facing the living room and the other facing the garden room. A number of the glass walls are sliding panels opening to outdoor terraces.

This site has unobstructed views on the south and east, with the principle view to the south to take advantage of light and warmth. The west elevation features floor-to-ceiling glazing for unobstructed views of the ocean.  

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Case Study House #18 in L.A. Hits the Market at $10M and Includes Plans From Tom Kundig

Sited just minutes from the beach on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Case Study House #18—also known as the West House—has officially hit the market at $10,000,000 .

Along with several other Case Study Homes  that were built under the Arts & Architecture magazine's program, the 1948 property is privately nestled in the exclusive Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Chautauqua Boulevard. 

All the public indoor/outdoor entertaining areas offer sweeping seaside views. 

Oriented towards the Pacific Ocean, the 1,701-square-foot one-level home was originally designed by architect Rodney Walker, and boasts ocean views from almost every vista, as well as a striking midcentury design. 

A covered terrace adds to the home's potential to enjoy indoor/outdoor living.

The two- bedroom dwelling is set on half an acre of land, which allows for the construction of a potential secondary structure—and the sale includes architectural plans for one designed specifically for the property by Tom Kundig of the Seattle–based design firm  Olson Kundig . 

The Pacific Ocean is virtually in the property's backyard.

A large floor-to-ceiling, two-sided brick fireplace dominates the living room and serves as a divider from the "garden room," which is presently being used as the dining area.

The "garden room" opens to the terrace, literally bringing the outdoors in. High ceilings have been designed to accommodate clerestory windows and add to the interiors' airy atmosphere. 

The classic tongue-and-groove beamed ceiling has been painted white.

Original wood paneling lines the walls. 

Floor-to-ceiling glazing provides breathtaking views of the ocean, and brings in plenty of natural light throughout the home.  

The spacious living area includes room for an additional dining nook.

The highlight of this bedroom is the ample built-in storage.

The half-an-acre lot offers a unique opportunity to own a Case Study House and build a new separate modern domicile, or potentially divide the lot.

As you can see from above, the property enjoys unobstructed ocean views.

199 Chautauqua Boulevard is now being offered by Deasy/Penner. See the full listing including the architectural plans  here . 

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The West House (Case Study House #18) • Designed by Rodney Walker • 199 Chautauqua Blvd. , Pacific Palisades CA, 90272

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The Case Study Houses Program: Craig Ellwood’s Case Study House 18

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Craig Ellwood’s series of Case Study Houses was seen most successfully in the Case Study House  18, otherwise known as Fields House, that introduced many design enhancements on previous models.

The no. 18 was built in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, which provided sweeping views of the surrounding hills from a prime location.

One of the most significant progressions of the Case Study House 18, was to prefabricate its frame in a factory to which were later added fixtures such as walls, floors and tiling.

Ellwood kept the design for the Case Study House 18, basic. He divided the rectangular shaped plan in two separate sections: the bedrooms, the lounge and the music room were on one side while the kitchen, the entrance hall and the covered entryway on the other.

A translucent glass wall protects the house from the street-view but makes the light to filter through while offering privacy to the people inside. The inside-outside continuity was guaranteed by sliding doors connecting the living room with the terrace.

As other Case Study Houses, the no. 18 had many inclusions such as a swimming pool, modern appliances and a central vacuum system. Also, Ellwood placed many electrical outlets around the house to help its owners to tailor the spaces as they liked. Over time this made the original design almost unrecognisable.

The glass and beams prefabricated structure together with a flexible open plan, made the Case Study House 18 the perfect example of what the Case Study Houses Program was trying to achieve: an architectural model for affordable and modern housing.

SEE MORE Case study Houses

The Case Study Houses Program: Richard Neutra’s Bailey House

The Case Study Houses Program: Pierre Koenig’s Stahl House

( David Archer )

Case Study House #18 in Pacific Palisades on the Market for $10M

Case Study House #18 in  Pacific Palisades  has hit the market for $10 million. With the sale come the plans for building a possible second home on the nearly half-acre site.  

The potential for owning an iconic Mid-Century Modern residence and the option to divide the property into two lots both make this offer truly special.

And this iconic Case Study House was set on a superb piece of property. It’s located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and many of the rooms of the single-story abode offer ocean views.

It’s situated amongst a cluster of Mid-Century Modern homes. Along with this one, designed by Rodney Walker , are homes by Richard Neutra ,   Eero Saarinen , as well as the renowned  Eames House and Studio , by Charles and Ray Eames .

The owner, a collector who snapped up the landmark offering in 2015 for $6.5 million, has home plans drawn up for the additional domicile by Olson Kundig , a Seattle-based firm.  

The owner had the place available for deep-pocketed tenants as a luxury rental for $20,000 a month, but relocation has compelled him to put the home back on the market.

For a Case Study house to come on the market is “super-rare,” says listing agent Frank Langen . The program, initiated by Arts and Architecture magazine in 1945, challenged   designers to create experimental prototypes using modern and low-cost materials.

The idea had been to replicate them for the housing crunch after World War II. Thirty-six model homes were designed by renowned architects, but only 24 were actually built—including this Case Study House #18 , also known as the West House, built in 1948.

(David Archer)

The forward-thinking 1,701-square-foot design contains two bedrooms, two bathrooms, plus an office/den, walls of glass that open to patios outside, a living/dining room, garden room, and a dramatic floor-to-ceiling brick fireplace faced with copper.

Walker designed the roof height to allow even more light, with clerestory windows.  Other knockout features include exposed beamed ceilings painted white, original wood paneling, and built-ins.

With no dramatic renovations or alterations, the home hasn’t changed much since it was built, aside from a few minor updates to the bathrooms and kitchen. Landmark status means there are limits to what can be done to the exterior.

The design takes advantage of its surroundings, with the indoor and outdoor entertaining areas and kitchen facing the ocean. “The views are to die for,” says Langen.

The buyers will face a few decisions. In addition to owning the historic Case Study house, they could also opt to build a brand-new structure on the property. Or they could divide the land into two lots and sell the vacant lot. And there’s always the option of renting out the desirable home to Mid-Century devotees.

As for who will step up with the eight figures, the agent thinks it will take someone who loves art and architecture. “It needs a special buyer, someone who understands the Case Study program,” Langen says.

Claudine Zap has been a writer and editor at Realtor.com since 2015, covering celebrity real estate, unique homes, and real estate trends. She also contributed to the site’s “House Party” podcast. She was previously a writer and editor at Yahoo, where she covered entertainment, culture, fashion, food, travel, and web trends. Claudine earned a B.A. in government and anthropology at Smith College and a master’s in journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, where she won the McClatchy Prize for In-Depth Reporting. Originally from the East Coast, she now lives in San Francisco.

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Case Study House 18, Pacific Palisades, LA

Case Study House #18, Pacific Palisades home, Los Angeles luxury real estate, California property photos

Case Study House #18 in Pacific Palisades

April 1 & March 25, 2024

Architect: Rodney Walker

Location: Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, USA

Photos by Jimm Simmons

Source – TopTenRealEstateDeals.com

Case Study House #18, LA

Los Angeles loves its mid-century modern homes. Starting in 1945, Arts and Architecture magazine sponsored some of the modern movement’s most famous architects, including Richard Neutra, A. Quincy Jones and Pierre Koenig, to create a series of home designs that could be easily replicated for the postwar housing boom. The homes were featured in the magazine in an iconic series of black-and-white photos taken by photographer Julius Shulman. Four of these homes: Case Studies #8, #9, #18, and #20 sit together on a bluff in the Pacific Palisades. Case Study #18 , listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is now for sale. The unique piece of architectural history, designed by Rodney Walker, is listed at $8.9 million.

Case Study House #18 – ‘Arts and Architecture’ Magazine’s Historic Home Designs Modern-style architecture was very popular in the US and Europe between the 1930s and ‘60s, marked by a stark functional style, geometric lines, and steel-and-glass construction. Integration with the natural landscape is another common feature. Modernism was both an architectural movement and a social movement, which posited that buildings could be the answer to some deep-rooted social inequalities.

It was inspired by the German Bauhaus school, which emphasized the standardized construction of apartments for factory workers. When the Nazis came to power, they shut down the school, and Bauhaus-founder Walter Gropius fled to the US, where he taught at Harvard and influenced the rise of the modernist movement.

The American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who called his style “Usonian” – a combination of USA, “utopian” and “organic social order” – was another strong influence. With the end of World War II, a need for homes for returning soldiers led to an explosion of modern architecture, especially in California.

Starting in 1945, Arts and Architecture magazine sponsored some of the modern movement’s most famous architects, including Richard Neutra, A. Quincy Jones and Pierre Koenig, to create a series of efficient houses that could be easily replicated for the postwar housing boom.

The homes were featured in the magazine in an iconic series of black-and-white photos taken by photographer Julius Shulman. Four of these homes: Case Studies #8, #9, #18, and #20 sit together on a bluff in the Pacific Palisades. Case Study #18, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is now for sale. The unique piece of architectural history, designed by Rodney Walker, is listed at $8.9 million.

The beautifully maintained, two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Walls of glass offer big ocean views, and the stunning Will Rogers State Beach is only a two-minute walk away. Tall ceilings and an open floor plan in the dining/living areas provide airy, light-filled spaces and a quintessentially modern aesthetic.

The ocean-view bedrooms are tranquil sanctuaries. The indoor-outdoor garden is a unique Rodney Walker touch. The oversize lot includes lush lawns, ocean-facing patios, and a sheltered play area surrounded by mature trees. The sale also includes plans for a second home, designed by Architectural Digest 100 starchitect Tom Kundig.

The Pacific Palisades is an upscale LA neighborhood known for its Mediterranean climate, hilly topography, numerous hiking trails, excellent surf beaches, and iconic modern homes. Next door to bustling Santa Monica, it is a close-knit community with a small-town feel. Options for entertainment include the original Getty Villa, the Riviera Country Club, and Temescal Gateway Park.

It is set apart from the hustle and bustle of the city but offers convenient freeway access to the Westside, Downtown LA, and Hollywood. Due to its lack of tourists, Pacific Palisades is a sought-after zip code for celebrities seeking tranquility. Numerous A-listers including Bradley Cooper, Adam Sandler, Anthony Hopkins and NBA All-Star Kawhi Leonard live in the neighborhood.

The listing is held by Crosby Doe of Crosby Doe Associates. Photo Credit: Jim Simmons.

Source: crosbydoe.com – https://toptenrealestatedeals.com/

Design: Rodney Walker

Source – https://toptenrealestatedeals.com/

Photography: Jimm Simmons

Case Study House #18, Pacific Palisades, LA images / information received 250324

Location: Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles , Southern California, USA

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The Case Study houses that made Los Angeles a modernist mecca

Mapping the homes that helped to define an era

Los Angeles is full of fantastic residential architecture styles, from Spanish Colonial Revival to Streamline Moderne. But the modernist Case Study Houses , sponsored by Arts & Architecture and designed between the 1940s and 1960s, are both native to Southern California and particularly emblematic of the region.

The Case Study series showcased homes commissioned by the magazine and designed by some of the most influential designers and architects of the era, including Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra, and Pierre Koenig. The residences were intended to be relatively affordable, replicable houses for post-World War II family living, with an emphasis on “new materials and new techniques in house construction,” as the magazine’s program intro put it.

Technological innovation and practical, economical design features were emphasized—though the homes’ scintillating locations, on roomy lots in neighborhoods like Pacific Palisades and the Hollywood Hills , gave them a luxurious allure.

With the help of photographer Julius Shulman , who shot most of the homes, the most impressive of the homes came to represent not only new styles of home design, but the postwar lifestyle of the booming Southern California region.

A total of 36 houses and apartment buildings were commissioned; a couple dozen were built, and about 20 still stand in the greater Los Angeles area (there’s also one in Northern California, a set near San Diego, and a small apartment complex in Phoenix). Some have been remodeled, but others have been well preserved. Eleven were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.

Here’s a guide to all the houses left to see—but keep in mind that, true to LA form, most are still private residences. The Eames and Stahl houses, two of the most famous Case Study Houses, are regularly open to visitors.

As for the unconventional house numbering, post-1962 A&A publisher David Travers writes that the explanation is “inexplicable, locked in the past.”

Case Study House No. 1

J.R. Davidson (with Greta Davidson) designed this house in 1948 (it was actually his second go at Case Study House No. 1). It was intended for “a hypothetical family" with two working parents and was designed to require "minimum maintenance.”

Case Study House No. 2

Case Study House No. 2 was designed in 1947 by Sumner Spaulding and John Rex. Arts & Architecture wrote that the home’s layout “achieves a sense of spaciousness and flexibility,” with an open living area and glass doors that lead out to adjoining terraces.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Samuel Dematraz (@samueldematraz) on Oct 28, 2018 at 1:07am PDT

Case Study House No. 7

Case Study House No. 7 was designed in 1948 by Thornton M. Abell. It has a “three-zone living area,” with space for study, activity, and relaxation/conversation; the areas can be separated by sliding panels or combined.

Eames House (Case Study House No. 8)

Legendary designer couple Charles and Ray Eames designed the Eames House in 1949 and even Arts & Architecture seemed kind of blown away by it. The home is built into a hillside behind a row of Eucalyptus trees on a bluff above Pacific Palisades. It's recognizable by its bright blue, red, and yellow panels. The Eameses lived in the house until their deaths. It’s now open to visitors five days per week, though reservations are required.

Entenza House (Case Study House No. 9)

The Entenza House was built in 1949 and designed by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen for Arts & Architecture editor John Entenza. According to the magazine, “In general, the purpose was to enclose as much space as possible within a reasonably simple construction.”

Case Study House No. 10

Case Study House No. 10 was designed in 1947 by Kemper Nomland. The house is built on several levels to mold into its sloping site. Recently restored, the home sold to Kristen Wiig in 2017.

Case Study House No. 15

Designed by J.R. Davidson in 1947, Case Study House No. 15 has south walls made of huge glass panels. Its flagstone patio and indoor floor are at the same level for that seamless indoor-outdoor feel. According to the magazine, the floorplan “is basically that of another Davidson house, Case Study House No. 11,” which has been demolished.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Samuel Dematraz (@samueldematraz) on Nov 15, 2018 at 6:13am PST

Case Study House for 1953

Craig Ellwood’s Case Study House for 1953 is usually numbered as 16 in the Case Study series . It has a modular steel structure and “the basic plan is a four-foot modular rectangle.” But the interior walls stick out past the exterior walls to bring the indoors out and the outdoors in. The Bel Air house hit the market in November with a $3 million price tag.

Case Study House No. 17 (A)

Case Study House No. 17 (A) was designed by Rodney Walker in 1947. A tight budget kept the house at just 1,560 square feet, “but more space was gained through the use of many glass areas.” The house also has a large front terrace with a fireplace that connects the indoor living room fireplace. The house has been remodeled .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Case Study House #17, 1947 (@casestudy17) on Jun 11, 2016 at 2:20pm PDT

Case Study House No. 17 (B)

Case Study House No. 17 (B) was designed in 1956 by Craig Ellwood, but “governed by a specific program set forth by the client.” Ellwood took into account the clients' collection of contemporary paintings and made the living room “purposely undersized” to work best for small gatherings. The house was extensively remodeled in the sixties by Hollywood Regency architect John Elgin Woolf and his partner, interior designer Robert Koch Woolf.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by BAUKUNST™ El Arte de Construir (@i_volante) on Aug 13, 2017 at 4:42pm PDT

West House (Case Study House No. 18 [A])

Case Study House No. 18 (A) was designed by Rodney Walker in 1948. The house is oriented toward the ocean, but set back from the cliff edge it sits on to avoid noise issues. As A&A says, "High above the ocean, the privacy of the open south and east exposures of Case Study House No. 18 can be threatened only by an occasional sea-gull." The house features a "bricked garden room" separated from the living room by a two-sided fireplace.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by CaseStudyHouse18A (@casestudyhouse18a) on Oct 6, 2018 at 8:44pm PDT

Fields House (Case Study House No. 18 [B])

Case Study House No. 18 (B) was designed by Craig Ellwood in 1958. Ellwood didn’t attempt to hide that the house was prefabricated (the magazine explains that he believed “that the increasing cost of labor and the decline of the craftsman will within not too many years force a complete mechanization of residential construction methods”). The components of the house, however, are “strongly defined with color: ceiling and panels are off-white and the steel framework is blue.” According to A&A' s website, the house has been remodeled.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MCM Daily (@dc_hillier) on Oct 29, 2018 at 8:32pm PDT

Case Study House No. 20 [A])

This two-bedroom house was meant “to serve young parents who find they can afford just that much,” according to architect Richard Neutra’s description. He also wrote that he used several different kinds of natural wood in the house.

Bass House (Case Study House No. 20 [B])

The Bass House was designed in 1958 by Buff, Straub, and Hensman for famed graphic designer Saul Bass. It's “unique in that it was based upon the experimental use of several prefabricated Douglas fir plywood products as part of the structural concept,” including hollow-core plywood vaults that covered the central part of the house.

Case Study House No. 21

Pierre Koenig designed Case Study House No. 21 in 1958. It was originally completely surrounded by water, with a walkway and driveway spanning the moat at the front door and carport, respectively. The house was severely messed with over the years, but restored in the ’90s with help from Koenig.

Stahl House (Case Study House No. 22)

Pierre Koenig's Stahl House , designed in 1960, is probably the most famous house in Los Angeles, thanks to an iconic photo by Julius Shulman . The house isn't much to look at from the street, but its backside is mostly glass surrounding a cliff's-edge pool. Tours are available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday—but book well ahead of time, as they sell out quickly.

Case Study House for 1950

The unnumbered Case Study House for 1950 was designed by Raphael Soriano. It's rectangular, with living room and bedrooms facing out to the view. However, in the kitchen and eating areas, the house “turns upon itself and living develops around a large kitchen-dining plan opening upon a terrace which leads directly into the living room interrupted only by the mass of two fireplaces.” According to A&A 's website, the house has been remodeled.

Frank House (Case Study House No. 25)

The two-story Frank House was designed by Killingsworth, Brady, and Smith and Associates in 1962 and it sits on a canal in Long Beach. A reflecting pool with stepping stones leads to its huge front door and inside to an 18-foot high courtyard. The house sold in 2015 with some unfortunate remodeling .

Case Study House No. 28

Case Study House No. 28 was designed in 1966 by Conrad Buff and Donald Hensman. According to the magazine, “the architects were asked to design a house that incorporated face brick as the primary structural material to demonstrate its particular advantages.” They came up with a plan for two symmetrical wings joined by glass galleries.

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