The ‘Endless Summer’ House - Page 2

The architects designed affordable tract homes before establishing their Pasadena practice in 1952, and went on to design celebrity homes, among them residences for Lawrence Harvey, Steve McQueen, and Ronald Reagan's Governor's Mansion. They secured their legacy with the groundbreaking Case Study House #20, designed in 1958 for Saul and Ruth Bass, and constructed out of wood rather than steel.

That same year, architect Calvin Straub (1920-1998) joined the two young architects, and the three University of Southern California Trojans formed Buff, Straub & Hensman, working together until 1963, at which time Straub accepted a professorship at Arizona State University.

The influential team was the combined genius behind many modernist homes throughout Los Angeles, including Pasadena's Poppy Peak Historic District.

Buff, Straub & Hensman's distinctive design aesthetic often featured double-height entries, Saltillo tile floors, stained glass elements, wood-paneled walls, custom lighting, and decks that served to extend the indoor/outdoor experience.

In 1988, associate Dennis Smith was made a partner, and remains at the helm of the renamed Buff, Smith & Hensman today.

'The Endless Summer Malibu Beach House' is a striking, updated example of these architects' work. "It's my favorite house, the perfect Malibu getaway," says Williams, who owns several architectural homes in the Los Angeles area.

"It's really near and dear to me," he adds. "I brought in eclectic worldly objects from my travels around the world. Malibu was Chumash, so this is my homage to the Indians, and to mid-century surfing…bringing in all of these cool things just gave the home this beautiful essence and soul, and transformed it into something that with the patina just keeps getting better and better."

For more info and photos on the 'Endless Summer' House, click here.