John Lautner - The Bergren Residence for Sale

The Bergren Residence, Hollywood Hills, John Lautner, FAIA, 1951

 "I think that any work of art has to have a spirit.  It has to have a feeling in order to really be art.  If it's alive, it's art.  If it's static and dead, it's not.  That's a very difficult thing to get in.  That's where you have to get the exact right shapes, either angular or curved, so they have a lift or feeling.  It's an instinctive kind of thing.  When I make a plan, it either looks right or it doesn't.  I change it so that everything goes together.  It's indefinable and sometimes I don't know whether I am going to achieve all of those things, but in most instances, I have." - John Lautner, FAIA

The Bergren Residence, Hollywood Hills, John Lautner, FAIA, 1951

Originally designed in 1951 as a 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom home tucked away in the Hollywood Hills with views of the San Fernando Valley, we now see the addition of a 2nd bedroom along with an additional bathroom in the transformed Bergren Residence, currently on market and listed for $1,450,000.  

The Bergren Residence (Original Floor Plan) - John Lautner, FAIA, 1951

Located at 7316 Caverna Drive, the angular design gives lift to those who enter.  The open floor plan allows for natural light to envelope the soul with private garden areas outside the large glass paneled walls of the interior.

 

Within 1,582sf of living space, the home has a feeling of being larger due to the expansive glass walls that lead out to private garden areas.  The price per square foot is a substantial twist on things with its current $945/sf price tag.

With a stainless steel Poliform kitchen and Gaggenau and Sub Zero appliances, the home feel contemporary and utilizes fine design well. 

Lautner's organic modernism embraced angles and corners, which is exemplified here with the Bergren Residence with the slanting roof lines and interior beams exposed.

Polished concrete floors adorn the main living area.  Slate accents are found in both bathrooms.  

This home is for any mid-century modern enthusiast looking for a recognized piece of architecture.  Regardless of the additions, it still is a beautiful work by one of the Post-War masters.

The tranquil setting and privacy allow a homeowner the feeling of escape with uninterrupted views. 

The home's additions include the 2nd bedroom and the 2nd bath shown below.  Done well, it still does not make the integrity of this home stand out, but does modernize the home. 

A private garden area overlooking the Valley is just footsteps away from this bedroom addition.

A unique tranquil setting for the Bergren Residence, it rests on 6,598sf of land.  The home does not have a garage, but does have an attached carport for 2 vehicles.  The home also has a separate laundry room.

"My main feeling and purpose, since I am involved in man-made environment, is to create the most desirable kind of environment to improve human life no matter what the purpose.  Whether a house or factory or restaurant, the whole environment can be tremendously improved with the basic ideas and real concern about the whole situation in relation to people.  It's not designing to suit bankers or building codes or contractors.  It's designing for people." - John Lautner, FAIA

Photos and listing courtesy of Tori Barnao of The Agency.