A ‘Piece of Art’ by Architect Ricardo Legorreta in Beverly Hills Asking for $15.95M

Architect Ricardo Legorreta excelled in designing homes that married light and shadow. This Beverly Hills property—one of the last homes he designed before his death in 2011—is no exception, and it’s now on the market for $15.95 million.

“It’s architecturally perfect. The detail is amazing,” says listing agent Jade Mills. “People have commented that even the electrical plugs are inset and level with the walls.”

The esteemed architect from Mexico was also known for blending features of Western modernism with traditional Mexican styles. Some of his notable works include the 10-story purple bell tower in Los Angeles’ Pershing Square, the San Antonio Central Library, and the Los Angeles residence of actor Ricardo Montalban, which sold in 2012 for $38.98 million. In 2000, he received the AIA Gold Medal.

This 10,000-square-foot house is a showcase for many of Legorreta’s signature flourishes. The building’s facade is more wall than windows, an aesthetic he borrowed from traditional Mexican architecture. To emphasize privacy, the stucco walls are thick and the kitchen windows facing the street “are just a little bit higher, so you can see out but the people can’t see in,” Mills says.

Sharp geometric shapes define much of the home, from its bold square and rectangle frontage to the boxy window patterns and jagged staircase wall on the inside. But there also are softer touches such as the circular skylight in the ceiling of the grand foyer that bathes a reflecting pool in light.

The sprawling master bathroom has an entire wall made of crisscrossing shelves currently stuffed with colorful yarn. The walls are pumpkin orange and a canvas white.

“Everybody that’s seen it has said it’s a piece of art. It really is like living in a piece of art,” Mills remarks.

Lighting plays a key role throughout the house. Near the ceiling, sections of the wall give way to long panes of glass, while walls of glass form the back of some rooms. In the living room, horizontal pillars make up the ceiling like spaced-out piano keys; the lighting from above gives them a soothing, shadowy look. In the theater, a halo of light bathes a spherical ceiling feature.

The homeowners, who had the house built in 2012, are heading for different pastures—specifically, a place where they can be around their horses, Mills says. She doesn’t think it’ll be too difficult to find the right buyer.

“Everything in there is very out of the ordinary and very much the style of the architect and the owner’s touches,” Mills says, noting the house is believed to be one of Legoretta’s last designs. “The quality is beyond that of a normal home.”

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