Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger recently found themselves in architecture enthusiasts’ crosshairs as a result of razing a historical midcentury modern home to allegedly build a new house across the street from Katherine’s mother.
Last year, Los Angeles Conservancy, a nonprofit membership organization that advocates for the preservation of historic architectural and cultural resources in the City of Angels, expressed their disappointment upon learning that the famous couple had plans to demolish a 1950 modernist residence at 400 North Carmelina Avenue in Brentwood.
Highlights
- Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger were criticized for demolishing a historic 1950s LA house to build a new mansion.
- The demolished house was a notable example of Modernist design from the 1950s, identified as potentially historic.
- Los Angeles Conservancy expressed disappointment, suggesting alternatives to demolition and seeking historic protections.
In January 2023, the organization wrote that the property was designed by 1950s architect Emiel Becsky, who was working within influential modernist Craig Ellwood’s office.
“He created a one-story, nearly 3,000 sq. ft. residence that appears to be highly intact and a noteworthy example of Modernist design from this era,” the nonprofit explained at the time.
Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger sparked outrage for razing a midcentury modern home to build a new one near Katherine's mom
Image credits: prattprattpratt
“The City’s SurveyLA program identified it as potentially historic, yet no protections are currently afforded,” they added.
The organization expressed its confusion regarding the motivation for the demolition, as the house was not for sale nor transferred out of longtime ownership at the time.
Los Angeles Conservancy went on to plea for “viable alternatives to demolition” and asked for help to make the property a certified Historic-Cultural Monument and further their appeal with Traci Park, an American attorney and politician, who is the Los Angeles City Councilmember.
Fast forward to this year, and The Guardians of the Galaxy star and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s daughter have seemingly gone ahead and demolished the cherished estate despite criticism.
Image credits: prattprattpratt
Located on one of Brentwood’s most prestigious streets, the so-called Zimmerman House was razed in a matter of days, The Robb Report reported earlier this month.
According to the luxury-lifestyle magazine, in the home’s place, a new and much larger mansion has been rising.
“Witnessing the demolition of revered residential architecture is a gut punch,” a staffer for midcentury modern homes enthusiast website The Eichler Network wrote.
“Even walking the inclined driveway leading to the empty lot where such a home once stood can be painful,” they added. “Such was the case last week, while in Los Angeles. Our emotions ran high.”
The 1950 modernist residence at 400 North Carmelina Avenue in Brentwood was known as the Zimmerman House
Image credits: laconservancy
The USModernist nonprofit explained that the Zimmerman House was commissioned in 1949 by Martin and Eva Zimmerman and completed in 1950.
Once featured in Progressive Architecture magazine, the 0.83-acre estate featured gardens and mature trees carefully placed by esteemed landscape designer Garrett Eckbo.
Inside, the blocky modernist structure offered five bedrooms and three bathrooms in 2,770 square feet of single-story living space.
The house changed hands in 1968 and again in 1975, when it sold for the paltry sum of $205,000 to Sam and Hilda Rolfe, the co-creator of the classic 1960s spy series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and the CBS series Have Gun — Will Travel.
Image credits: J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles
Sam died in 1993, but his widow, Hilda, continued to own and reside at the property until her own death nearly 30 years later.
Although the Zimmerman house was never listed on the open market, the property was quietly sold last January, just months after Hilda’s death.
The property’s listing still appears on the American tech real-estate marketplace website Zillow, indicating it was sold for a total of $12,500,000.
“The off-market buyers were Hollywood actor Chris Pratt and author Katherine Schwarzenegger, who wasted little time in demolishing the midcentury structure to make way for their own new Brentwood dream home—which is currently still in the early stages of construction,” The Robb Report wrote.
The 0.83-acre estate featured gardens and mature trees carefully placed by esteemed landscape designer Garrett Eckbo
Image credits: J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles
Permit records indicated that the A-listers’ new house, which stands two stories tall and includes a full basement, was designed by architect Ken Ungar, one of the Westside’s most prolific and successful designers of large modern farmhouse-style mansions, the magazine reported.
The Pratt-Schwarzeneggers’ property will reportedly also feature a backyard swimming pool, plus a pool house or poolside cabana of some sort.
The couple’s property development sparked outrage on social media, as an X user (formerly known as Twitter) wrote: “Ok, now I get the hate for Chris Pratt. Why would you spend 12 million on this jewel only to demolish it!?”
Another person commented: “Oh my God... how do you demolish an architectural icon to build a standard yahoo McMansion.”
Image credits: J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles
Someone else penned: “Why didn't they use their $$s to move the house to another location?
“Houses can B moved, even cut into pieces & reassembled.
“This was HISTORY Destroyed.”
An additional individual chimed in: "Still thinking about this—-I don’t know what would behoove someone to spend millions on a house just to raze it."
The house was sold for $205,000 to Sam and Hilda Rolfe, the co-creator of the classic 1960s spy series The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Image credits: J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles
“I’m sorry but the fact that LA is fighting celebrities for its life left & right to keep them from leveling historic houses in…. Brentwood if [sic] all places, is beyond me.”
Brentwood is one of Los Angeles’ coolest neighborhoods, home to countless movie and music stars, upscale shops, glossy office buildings, and plenty of outdoor entertainment options, as per Fancy Pants Homes.
“It used to be one of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets, but celebrities and celebrity scandals ultimately managed to put it under the spotlight,” the luxury home blog added.
In addition to backlash from people mourning the iconic midcentury house, the 44-year-old actor and his 34-year-old wife's real estate project was further reproached, as previous reports highlighted that the Zimmerman house was located almost directly across the street from a two-house compound owned by Katherine’s mother, Maria Shriver.
Other nearby neighbors include Arianna Huffington and Sofia Richie, as per The Robb Report.
Bored Panda has contacted Chris and Katherine’s respective representatives as well as the Los Angeles Conservancy for comment.
"Money can't buy taste," a reader commented
