Iconic Raphael Soriano-Designed House for Sale in Los Angeles – DIRT

Crafted by noted modernist architect Raphael Soriano, this beguiling midcentury gem was commissioned by ceramist Glen Lukens, a cofounder of Arts & Architecture magazine, way back in 1940. Aptly known as the Lukens House, the International Bauhaus-style dwelling is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and it’s now on the market in Los Angeles, asking $2.5 million.

One of only a dozen or so structures designed by the Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler disciple that still exist — he built more than 50, including the Shulman House in Hollywood Hills and Grossman House in Studio City — the formerly dilapidated home underwent an extensive restoration by previous owner and real estate agent Mike Chapman in collaboration with Barry Milofsky of M2A Architects. The result? Several preservation awards from the Los Angeles Conservancy, California Preservation Foundation and Los Angeles Business Council.

It’s also worth noting that Lukens, who was teaching a night ceramics course at USC, invited his student Frank Gehry to check out the construction process and meet Soriano. As the story goes, that encounter reportedly changed the course of Gehry’s life and ultimately led him to pursue a career in architecture!

Nestled on an almost half-acre parcel in the historic Jefferson Park neighborhood — on land that once housed the original garden belonging to the turn-of-the-century Lycurgus Lindsay estate — the exterior of the white flat-roofed abode is marked by large overhanging eaves and ribbon-band, steel-frame windows. Inside, three bedrooms and two baths are packed into almost 1,500 square feet punctuated throughout by walls of glass.

Highlights include an expansive living room spotlighted by a fireplace and numerous windows overlooking the grounds, plus an adjacent dining area that connects to a wood-clad kitchen outfitted with updated appliances and ample storage space. Elsewhere is a primary suite that flows to a bath equipped with a glass-encased shower, along with a study/office hosting its own entrance and an ensuite guest bedroom.

Outdoors, the lushly landscaped grounds host a spacious entertaining deck and screening area for al fresco movie watching, as well as a full-size basketball court and sprawling grassy lawn with plenty of room for a friendly game of Cornhole. Among the most striking features of the entire property, though, is the 1908 glass greenhouse that’s since been transformed into a picturesque dining pavilion.

The listing is held by Jane Lee and Vivian Yoon of Highland Premiere Real Estate.