Hearst heiress buys John Lautner’s Wolff House in the Hollywood Hills
Amanda Hearst, a great-granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, and her husband, filmmaker Joachim Rønning, have purchased the Wolff House in Hollywood Hills West for $5.9 million.
Set above the Sunset Strip, the dramatic residence was designed by modernist architect John Lautner for a concert pianist. Completed in 1961, the house exemplifies Lautner’s forward thinking and use of natural materials. Stone, glass and copper feature prominently in the home’s design, while glass walls and thick stone blocks serve to unite indoor and outdoor living spaces.
The home, which expands upward against the hillside, has about 1,700 square feet of interior, one bedroom, 1.5 bathrooms and a great room. The gleaming kitchen is outfitted with stainless steel cabinetry. An adjoining guesthouse, built in the 1970s, has three rooms, two bathrooms and about 1,170 square feet of space.
Outside, mature trees and landscaping provide cover for decking, balconies and a cantilevered swimming pool. A carport sits off the front.
The Wolff House was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2006. It previously changed hands more than a decade ago for $5.55 million, records show.
George Salazar and Tilsia Acosta of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties were the listing agents. Denise Moreno of Hilton & Hyland represented the buyer.
Hearst and Rønning were married last year at Hearst Castle in San Simeon. The heiress is an editor at Marie Claire, a Hearst-owned magazine focused on fashion, style and women’s issues, as well as the co-founder of Well Beings, an organization that aims to raise awareness and funding around animal welfare and conservation.
Rønning is a Norwegian film director whose credits include “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” and last year’s “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.” His 2012 film “Kon-Tiki” received an Oscar nomination for best foreign-language film.
