Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger face backlash after demolishing a historic home to build a mega-mansion

 

 

In a move that has stirred up anger among architecture aficionados, actor Chris Pratt and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, have come under fire for demolishing a cherished midcentury-modern home to make way for a colossal 15,000-square-foot mansion.

The controversy surrounds their acquisition of the 1950 Zimmerman house, a gem of architectural history designed by renowned architect Craig Ellwood, which stood in LA’s prestigious Brentwood neighborhood.

Purchased for a hefty $12.5 million, the residence, complemented by landscaping by the visionary Garrett Eckbo, had graced the pages of Progressive Architecture magazine.

 

(The couple has already demolished the historic architectural haven.Google Maps)

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Previously occupied by the late Hilda Rolfe, widow of Sam Rolfe, co-creator of the iconic series “The Man from Uncle,” the Zimmerman house boasted an interior bathed in natural light, adorned with classic mid-century features including expansive windows, wooden floors and period furniture.

The single-story abode and its meticulously designed surroundings have now been erased, making room for a mammoth modern farmhouse-style estate — a trend increasingly dominating suburban landscapes across the United States.

Architectural Digest reports that architect Ken Ungar, known for his expertise in crafting modern farmhouse residences, will helm the design of Pratt and Schwarzenegger’s new home.

Situated across the street from Schwarzenegger’s mother, Maria Shriver, the property is slated to include a sprawling three-car garage and an auxiliary unit adjacent to the pool area.

 

(The home was built in 1950 with floor-to-ceiling walls of windows.Julius Shulman / © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles)

 

(The former bedroom before it was demolished.Julius Shulman / © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles)

Concerns about the demolition were raised early on by the Los Angeles Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture.

Despite being identified as a potentially historic site by the city’s SurveyLA program, the Zimmerman house lacked the safeguards necessary for its protection, according to the conservancy’s Instagram post.

 

(The Pratt and Schwarzenegger family. MEGA)

Ref: Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger face backlash after demolishing a historic home to build a mega-mansion (nypost)

Photo Credit-Google Maps, Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, MEGA, Julius Shulman