Bel-Air contemporary was a personal project for the architect

The personal residence of José Luis Palacios, design director of global architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, has come up for sale in Bel-Air for $5.695 million.

Palacios was part of the design team behind downtown L.A.’s dramatic federal courthouse, which has earned dozens of architectural awards. The Paper Mate pen factory in Santa Monica and Long Beach City Hall and port headquarters are among his other commercial and civic projects.

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An aerial view.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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The living room.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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The living area.   (Anthony Barcelo)

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The chef’s kitchen.   (Anthony Barcelo)

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The upstairs den/office.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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The master suite sitting room.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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The master suite.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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The walk-in closet.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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The lower terrace.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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A bedroom.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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A bedroom.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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An outdoor sitting area.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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A view from the back.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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The house has about 2,200 square feet of outdoor decking.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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The decking includes a dining patio.  (Anthony Barcelo)

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The side yard.  (Anthony Barcelo)

Perched on a hillside, the Bel-Air contemporary appears to float among the trees. The two-story house is dressed inside and out with African mahogany details, while Italian Pietra del Cardoso granite was used for the interior stonework. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame leafy distant views.

The 4,200-square-foot floor plan has three bedrooms, five bathrooms, a high-end kitchen and ample open-concept space. Upper and lower decking extends the living space outdoors by about 2,200 square feet.

The property last changed hands in 1996 for about $506,000, records show.

Mick Partridge of Hilton & Hyland holds the listing.