“Home of the Week: Sleek contemporary in Beverly Hills”
L.A. Times
The L.A. Times selects our listing at 1060 Woodland Drive, Beverly Hills as “Home of the Week.” Listed by The Agency’s Mauricio Umansky and Jay Harris, the stylish and chic 4 bedroom / 4.5 bath home is situated above a quiet tree-laden street in prime Beverly Hills, and as the LA Times notes, it’s “designed for entertaining” with its “glass-walled loft and walls of glass looking out onto the swimming pool and deck.” Explore this stunning contemporary home through its slideshow on the L.A. Times website.

“Hagy Belzberg Design Above the Sunset Strip Hits the Market”
Curbed LA
Curbed LA takes notice of our Hagy Belzberg-designed Sunset Strip home located at 9243 Cordell Drive. The design of this incredibly private home offers a wonderful play between the clean lined architecture and the redesigned interiors. The result is warm and inviting. View for yourself via the gallery accompanying the Curbed LA post.

“Rodney Walker House: A. Quincy Jones’ Former Residence For $1.075 Million”
Huffington Post
Listed by The Agency’s Billy Rose and Josh Myler, 11320 Joffre Street gets the spotlight on the Huffington Post, with a gallery of 14 photos of this Rodney Walker-designed home that was once the residence of legendary architect A. Quincy Jones. Both Walker and Jones were commissioned to design and build homes for the celebrated Case Study House Program, and as the Huffington Post notes, 11320 Joffre “exemplifies many of Walker’s signatures – an open floor plan, floating roof planes and an indoor/outdoor sensibility.” “It is also centrally-located,” Huffington Post points out, “making it easy to get to Westside spots like the beach as well as eastbound locations such as Beverly Hills and Hollywood.”

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From 1945 to 1966, Arts & Architecture magazine commissioned many of the leading architects of the day to design low-cost model homes for the post-WWII housing boom. Only 24 or so architects/teams participated in this Case Study House Program, and Rodney Walker was the only architect/team responsible for more than two of the Case Study Houses actually built.  While not one of the program’s homes, The Agency’s new listing at 11320 Joffre Street in Brentwood was designed by Walker during this time and showcases his signature design elements. In fact, Walker’s design of this 2-bedroom / 2-bath home was so compelling that it served as the personal residence of legendary architect A. Quincy Jones, who also participated in the Case Study House Program. We recently caught up with the home’s listing agent, Billy Rose, to learn more about the architectural significance of 11320 Joffre Street.

What was the Case Study House Program and tell us a little about its impact on architecture?

The Case Study House (CSH) program, initiated in 1945 in Los Angeles, remains one of America’s most significant contributions to architecture at mid-century. The motivating force behind the program was John Entenza, a champion of modernism and editor of the avant-garde monthly magazine Arts & Architecture. Entenza envisioned the Case Study effort as a way to offer the public and the building industry models for low-cost housing in the modern idiom, foreseeing the coming building boom as inevitable in the wake of the drastic housing shortages during the depression and war years. Using the magazine as a vehicle, Entenza’s goal was to enable architects to design and build low-cost modern houses for actual clients, using donated materials from industry and manufacturers, and to extensively publish and publicize their efforts.

How would you best describe Rodney Walker’s architectural style?

Walker pioneered the creation of private spaces within an open floor plan, refining a key element of modern architecture. His homes are characterized by transparency, floating roof planes, and what were, at the time, innovative materials such as steel, plywood, and fiberglass panels. Walker built most of his houses after WWII. He focused on building low-cost homes for returning soldiers. Like Case Study House #17, many were smallish homes. He strove to build high-quality homes at a good value. The Joffre house exhibits many of Walker’s signature hallmarks.

Do you know who 11320 Joffre was originally designed for?

Walker would frequently build a home for a client while simultaneously building a spec house for himself that he would later sell. It is believed that Joffre was originally built as one of Walker’s spec projects.

So in addition to being the architect, do we know if Walker was also the builder of 11320 Joffre Street? How common is it that the architect is also the builder?

Walker served as builder and designer on most of his homes, to ensure that they were built according to his vision. It is unknown if Walker was the builder of Joffre, but it is considered to be likely the case. It it actually quite uncommon for the architect to also be the builder of his own design, however, Walker felt the creative act was in building, and he ran a crew that built about 90% of his designs.

What are some of the noteworthy architectural features of 11320 Joffre?

Walker favored designing and building smaller homes, and he necessarily became particularly successful in merging the indoors and the outdoors in order to maximize the feel and livability of his homes.

This merging was achieved at Joffre through the use of sliding walls of glass, clerestory windows and defined exterior entertaining spaces. The slatted wood ceiling treatment also accentuates the merging of the indoor spaces by integrating and unifying the various living spaces.

What design element featured in the home is your favorite?

I’m completely taken by the unique slatted wood ceiling treatment. It serves to not only visually merge the living spaces, but it also adds an organic and tactile warmth to an architectural style which, at times, can feel a bit ascetic. Concealed within this ceiling treatment is lighting which provides a warm glow in the evening.

Who do you see as the ideal owner of this home?

Joffre will appeal to those who enjoy light and airy living environments and appreciate a thoughtful layout for easy living. The centrally-situated Brentwood Glen location makes it easy to get to Westside locations like the beach, eastward locations such as Beverly Hills and Hollywood, and the proximity to the San Diego freeway allows for easy access to LAX, the Valley and Downtown. Joffre is perfect for a single person, couple or a new family.

Listing page for 11320 Joffre Street

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Below is a look at some of the media coverage The Agency homes received this week. In addition to the below, The Agency’s home at 1467 N. Kings Road was spotlighted on E! News on Tuesday, with Mauricio Umansky talking to designer Faye Resnick, who decorated the home for its once-owner Paris Hilton. Look for additional coverage this weekend as our home at 1060 Woodland Drive will be featured as The Los Angeles Times “Home of the Week” on Sunday.

A Cheery MidCentury
The Wall Street Journal
Listed by The Agency’s Billy Rose and Jeff Kohl, 10899 Chalon Road was featured as the “House of the Day” by The Wall Street Journal, which noted the Mid-Century modern estate’s “light and airy layout” and “large windows for ample sunlight” while saying it “mixes ‘Mad Men’ chic with ‘eclectic modern.’” Explore this exceptionally private home situated on a near acre promontory in lower Bel Air through its photo slideshow on The Wall Street Journal website.

“Architect A. Quincy Jones’s Old Brentwood Home, Designed by Case Study Architect Rodney Walker”
Curbed LA
Rodney Walker, a Rudolph Schindler protégé was the only architect/team responsible for more than two of the famous Case Study Houses built (CSH #s 16, 17 & 18), and so compelling is Walker’s design located at 11320 Joffre Street, it served as the personal residence of A. Quincy Jones, another legendary Mid-Century Modern architect who also participated in the CSH Program (CSH # 24). Curbed LA takes notice of the home’s “classy pedigree” which makes it truly one of a kind.

“House of the Day: Live in a Kardashian ‘Home,’ Near Clooney 
Aol Real Estate
Michelle Schwartz and Craig Knizek’s listing at 11947 Iredell Street was featured as the “House of the Day” on Aol Real Estate, which noted the home’s “five Bedari 24 karat gold and crystal chandeliers, sconces from the Paris Opera House and a 600-year-old fountain that was imported from financier Malcolm Forbes’ estate in Florence, Italy.” Click through to view photos of this grand Fryman Estates home inspired by the Medici castle.

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