Frank Gehry-designed Schnabel House in Brentwood sells for $9.5 million
Despite the complexity of the design and variations in form and volume, the materials are consistent, a repeating palette of stucco, wood, glass, lead and copper. The exterior here is lead-covered copper. The colossal 40-foot-tall entry provided one major challenge. Abundant glass made the entry inefficient to cool, even with seven separate A/C systems throughout the property. Platt’s solution: Install a temperature sensor to the skylight, which automatically opens to let hot air rise out like smoke through a chimney. “Every time the room gets warmer than 75 degrees, the house takes care of it,” Platt said. After he left town with the skylight open and rain poured onto his
The Frank Gehry-designed Schnabel House in Brentwood has sold for $9.5 million.
The seller is Tony Award-winning Broadway producer Jon B. Platt, who restored the home, according to Times archives.
Built in 1989, the five-bedroom, five-bathroom residence has been described as “a village that looks inward.” There is a main house, an office, a guesthouse and a garage-and-gym structure with a breezeway. Gehry, whose works include the Walt Disney Concert Hall downtown, is known for his “deconstructionist” style of architecture.
The half-acre of grounds includes a reflecting pond, a swimming pool and an olive orchard.
Platt spent about five years on the renovation work. Among his credits are “Angels in America,” “Wicked” and “The Book of Mormon.”
Public records show the property previously sold in 2006 for $9 million.
Aaron Kirman, Jeff Hyland and Rick Hilton of Hilton & Hyland, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, were the listing agents. Cory Weiss of Partners Trust represented the buyer.
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