This Organic Modern Masterpiece by Kendrick Bangs Kellogg Is on the Market For $2.5M
Perched on the rim of Pottery Canyon in La Jolla, California, 7799 Starlight Drive, or The Lotus House, as it is more commonly known, was designed in 1978 by organic modern architect Kendrick Bangs Kellogg—the visionary behind Joshua Tree’s High Desert House, Maui’s Onion House, and the Hoshino Wedding Chapel in Japan. The one-of-a-kind home was built for Dr. Samuel Yen, an international figure in the field of reproductive endocrinology who had commissioned Kellogg to build the sculptural home as his personal residence.
The lot is at the end of a cul-de-sac, very private, and totally unassuming from the front circular driveway entrance.
Set at the end of a cul-de-sac, the 3,379-square-foot home sits on an almost one-acre canyon rim lot and features three-bedrooms, two-and-a-half-bathrooms and spectacular views of both the coastline and the canyon. The curvilinear residence is made from Douglas Fir beams—each one a different shape and size—which have been individually steamed and glued to form the home’s uniquely curved interiors. Kellogg who believed in "nature as the source" was inspired by the site when designing the home. "You enhance a site, not create it," The architect has been quoted as saying, "The more unusual the site, the more I let it determine the design."
Wood-paneled roof trusses radiate out from the center of the home creating a grand entrance which sets the stage for the one-of-a-kind interiors.
The front door opens to the Lotus House’s central light-filled three-story glass atrium.
The home features a flexible and open floorplan that has a bright and airy flow.
The curvilinear individually-treated Douglas Fir beams cascade out from the central atrium. This is a look at the kitchen which features built-in teak cabinetry and an original light fixture over the table.
There are four viewing decks to take in the spectacular scenery and sunsets. The extensive glazing forms a seamless integration of indoor-outdoor space.
The sculptural poured formed concrete hearth in the living room area is a striking original feature.
Artist, James Hubbell, who also worked on Kellogg’s Onion House in Maui, is said to have designed the very unique master shower.
The unique, fully tiled-master shower can double as a bathtub.
The Lotus House beautifully blends into the hillside when seen from above at night. The sculptural, organic forms seem to unfold—giving the home its name.
7799 Starlight Drive, The Lotus House, is now being listed for $2,500,000 by Lisa C. Henderson and James C. Longley of the Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. Staging for the property was provided by Carol Kaplan of Everything Creative Designs.
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