Garcia House (Los Angeles) Explained

Garcia House
Start Date:1962
Building Type:House
Architectural Style:Mid-century modern
Architect:John Lautner
Location:Mulholland Drive, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California
Owner:Bill Damaschke and John McIlwee

The Garcia House (also known as The Rainbow House) is a private home in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, designed by architect John Lautner. Located on Mulholland Drive, it sits on stilts 60 feet above the canyon below. Also known as the "Rainbow House" for its parabolic roof over stained glass windows and a curved ceiling that rises to 30 feet in height, it has been described as "one of the 10 most important residences from the midcentury period in Los Angeles."[1] [2]

History

The building was originally designed in 1962 for American composer and arranger Russell Garcia. The two-story structure features three bedroom and three bath structure in just over 2,500 square feet of living space.[3] By 2002 it had undergone many changes from its original design and was in need of renovation.

In 2002, actor Vincent Gallo sold the house for $1.3 million to Bill Damaschke, a DreamWorks executive, and his partner, business manager John McIlwee. Damaschke and McIlwee then invested another $1 million on an extensive renovation, supervised by the Marmol Radziner design firm.[1] [2] They ultimately also added a fence to obstruct public views from the street into the glass-sided house.[4]

In popular culture

The exterior of the house is seen briefly in 1966 beach party film, Out of Sight, as the home of character John Stamp. The house was later prominently used as a location for the film Lethal Weapon 2,[5] as well as in a 2011 commercial for Oliver Peoples eyewear featuring singer Devendra Banhart.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Lauren A. E. Schuker, "Reviving a Hollywood Icon: A couple undertake an arduous renovation to update an architecturally significant home." The Wall Street Journal, May 24, 2012.
  2. Mayer Rus,"Cliffhanger: Lautner's Garcia House", Los Angeles Times Magazine, October 2008.
  3. Katherine Clarke (18 January 2023), Straight Out of ‘The Jetsons,’ This John Lautner-Designed L.A. Home Is Hitting the Market for $16 Million Wall Street Journal.
  4. Janelle Brown, "A Home to Its Owners, a Museum to Its Fans", The New York Times, June 16, 2006.
  5. http://www.archdaily.com/362932/a-look-at-hollywood-s-love-affair-with-john-lautner/ "A Look at Hollywood’s Love Affair with John Lautner "
  6. Max Padilla, "Devendra Banhart bathes and sings in Oliver Peoples' latest short", Los Angeles Times, January 13, 2011.