Kappe - Triangle Modernist Houses - America's Largest Archive of Residential Modernist Design

Enjoy browsing, but unless otherwise noted, these houses are private property and closed to the public -- so don't go tromping around uninvited.

RAYMOND L. (RAY) KAPPE, FAIA (1927-)

Kappe was born in Minneapolis MN to Romanian immigrant parents. His father changed the family name from Kapelowitz to Kappe. In 1940, the family moved to Los Angeles, where he attended Emerson Middle School designed by Richard Neutra. He graduated with Honors from the University of California at Berkeley in 1951. After his final year of school, in 1951, he worked as a draftsman on Eichler Homes for the admired Northern California firm Anshen+Allen. He then moved back to LA where he worked for two years with Carl Maston.

Kappe went on his own in 1954, completing dozens of custom post-and-beam houses and winning many awards. By 1968 he was partner Kahn Kappe Lotery Boccato. After serving as Founding Chairman of the Department of Architecture at California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, Kappe resigned in 1972 and started the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) which encourages learning through creative discourse and supports diversity of opinion within the framework of a common vision.

Surprisingly, perhaps, SCI-Arc succeeded and remains a respected school today with over 3,000 graduates and is considered one of the top architecture schools in the country. Kappe attributes its initial success in part to experience he gained working in his parents' store. "I knew how to keep books -- which most architects don't."

In 1978, his firm became Kappe Lotery Boccato. In 1985, he split off to form Kappe Architects Planners. Kappe received many individual awards including the 1987 Richard Neutra International Medal for Design Excellence, the 1995 California Council/AIA Bernard Maybeck Award for Design, and the Topaz Medal, the highest award in architectural education. His own residence was designated a Cultural Heritage Monument by the City of Los Angeles in 1996.

Many thanks to Catherine Westergaard for her extensive research.

1954 - The National Boulevard Apartments, 10565 National Boulevard, Culver City CA. His earliest design was this six-unit apartment complex in the Palms section of West Los Angeles. The view from the street only hints at the post-and-beam design. The soft modernism with Japanese tones has lasted throughout the years. The apartment building sits next to 10567 National Boulevard, the Garden Apartment Building, designed by Los Angeles architect Carl Maston, whom Kappe worked with for 2 years.

1954 - The Goetschel House, Tujunga CA.

1956 - The Phineas Kappe House, 15541 Woodcrest Drive, Sherman Oaks CA. This mid-century classic built in the Royal Woods area was for his parents. The 2300 sf home has classic walls of glass, vaulted ceilings, a private gated zen garden, interior reflecting pool, and an outdoor spa with waterfall. A family room is located off the granite kitchen and the entry has terrazzo flooring. Last sold in July 2011.

1956 - The Stoner House, 5679 Corso di Napoli, Long Beach CA. As of 2013 owned by the Katherine Stoner Trust.

1956 - The Enstedt Apartments, Los Angeles CA.

1956 - The Paul Nass Apartments, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

1957 - The Merrill and Connie Friend Residence, 4727 Louise Avenue, Encino CA. as of 2013 owned by Richard Rabkin

1957 - The Eric Lowens House, Kappe's 13th project, Sunset Plaza area of Los Angeles CA. This house was originally a 1,900 sq.ft. post-and-beam residence built of redwood and glass. Sold to Ghassemieh. Renovated by Kappe in 2007 to a 2,368-square foot residence, expanding the master bedroom and adding a bath and bedroom. The existing swimming pool was replaced with a lap pool. Photos by David Lena.

1957 - The Kasof Residence, Los Angeles CA.

1957 - The Forrest House Remodel, Los Angeles CA.

1957 - The Margaret Smith Residence, 8322 Ridpath Drive, Los Angeles CA. Sold in 2000 to William Miller.

1958 - The Buzza Residence, Beverly Hills CA. Unbuilt.

1958 - The Berkus-Kappe Apartments, Los Angeles CA.

1958 - The Taylor Residence, Los Angeles CA.

CA. Commissioned 1957. Sold to Linda Griego and Ronald C. Peterson. Sold in 2000 to Barbara Brodsky and Janice Ritter. Sold in 2005 to Ivan P. and Audrey Morrissey.

1958 - 681 Brooktree, Santa Monica CA. Kappe later put on an addition. Sold in 2000 to David Entin. Sold in 2012 to Elizabeth Latshaw.

1959 - The Erdley Residence, Pacific Palisades CA.

1959 - The Frishberg Addition, Los Angeles CA

1959 - The Clemmons Residence, Los Angeles CA.

1959 - The Glaser Residence, Los Angeles CA.

1959 - The Seligman Residence, Los Angeles CA.

1959 - The Robert Hayes Residence, 3943 Woodfield Drive, Sherman Oaks CA. Commissioned 1958. As of 2013 still owned by Robert Hayes.

1960 - The Wohlstadter Residence, North Hollywood, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

1960 - The Sarna Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

1960 - The Davis Residence, Los Angeles CA.

1960 - The Kosser Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

1960 - The Rex and Helena Ragan Residence, 1184 Rancheros Place, Pasadena CA. Built by Ted Tyler.

1960 - The Paul Hammond Apartments, 3743 McLaughlin Avenue, Los Angeles CA. As of 2012 owned by JP Morgan Chase Bank,.

1960 - The Cotzen Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

1961 - The Barsha Residence, 3515 Royal Woods Drive, Sherman Oaks, CA. As of 2013 owned by Robert Miller.

1961 - The Willard Beling Residence, 5280 Darro Road, Woodland Hills CA. 2400sf. As of 2013 owned by the Beling Living Trust.

1961 - The Melvin Brody Residence, 936 Kenter Way Road, Los Angeles CA. Sold in 1991. Features a secret room behind a bookcase. For sale in 2013.

1961 - The Howard Gates Residence, 727 Brooktree Road, Pacific Palisades CA. Built by Van Powelson. Sold to Albert and Joan Dorman.

1961 - The Stanley Meyer Residence, 3893 Deervale Drive, Sherman Oaks CA. Sold to Catherine and Stephen Brown.

1961 - The Reinhardt Residence, 620 Resolano Drive, Pacific Palisades CA. Sold to Sandra and Hubie Kerns.

1961 - The Vedanta Society Apartments, 2000-2010 North Ivar, Hollywood CA. Commissioned 1958. The apartments were designed for a religious Indian organization but were not limited to society members. They include 5 single apartments, 6 1-bedroom, and 5 two-bedroom apartments. The builder was Ted Tyler.

1961 - The Mummey Mesidence, 5284 Vanalden, Tarzana CA. As of 2013 owned by the Meymarian Family Trust.

1961 - The Pace Residence, Palos Verdes CA. Unbuilt.

1961 - Apartments, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

1962 - The Bernheim House, 1000 Kenfield Avenue, Los Angeles CA. As of 2013 owned by the Cynthia E. Bernheim.

1962 - The Maurine Clauson Residence, 8936 Appian Way, Los Angeles CA. As of 2013 owned by Patricial Glough and Glenn Johnson.

1962 - The Martin Gale Residence, 1009 Lindenwood, Los Angeles CA.
Sold in 2011 to Daniel and Lisa Lee.

1962 - The Rubin Residence, Los Angeles CA. Do you know the address?

1962 - The California Governor's Mansion Competition, Sacramento CA. Unbuilt.

1962 - The Carson Residence, Brentwood CA. Unbuilt.

1963 - C & C Development - Moorpark Apartments, North Hollywood, CA.

1963 - The Handman House, 3872 Royal Woods, Sherman Oaks CA. 4193 sf. Later sold to Tina Turner, who built a panic room inside. Sold to Brian C. Lee.

1964 - The Fredonia Apartments, 3625 Fredonia Drive, Studio City CA.

1964 - C & C Development - The Kling Street Apartments, North Hollywood, Los Angeles CA. Built.

1964 - The Gale Drive Associates Apartments, aka the Phil Gepner and Dave Beck Apartments, 129-31 Gale Drive, Beverly Hills CA. Three story apartments with underground garage. Kappe did a remodel in 2003.

1964 - The Cruz Apartments, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

1964 - The Drane Residence, Los Angeles CA.

1964 - The Joel Coleman Residence Addition, 755 Brooktree Road, Pacific Palisades CA. 1000 sf addition. As of 2012 owned by Mavette and Habib Salo.

1964 - The Strimling Residence, 17259 Oakview, Encino CA. Sold in 2011.

1964 - The Greene Residence, Pacific Palisades CA.

1964 - The Kirkwood Residence, Pacific Palisades CA.

1965 - The Earl Curtis Residence, 2424 Tuna Canyon Road, Topanga Canyon CA.

1965 - The Lawrence Office and Apartments, 5525 Balboa Road, Encino area of Los Angeles CA. 61 units.

1965 - The Moss Residence, Encino CA. Unbuilt.

1965 - The Harold Staw Residence, 2545 Mountain Avenue, Claremont CA.

1965 - The Sears Residence, Taos NM.

1965 - The Nicosia Residence, Los.Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

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1966 - The Butnik Residence, Encino area of Los Angeles CA.

1966 - The James Pregerson House, 680 Brooktree, Pacific Palisades CA. 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2,500 sq. ft. Sold in 1973 to Jean Brady.

1966 - The Schultz Condominium, Palos Verdes CA.

1966 - The LGM Apartments, Encino area of Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

1966 - The Vaughn Residence Remodel, no location given.

1967 - The Sorrel Wildhorn Residence Remodel, 16517 Las Casas, Pacific Palisades CA. Sold to Jessie Bochco.

1967 - The Cohee Residence, Los Angeles CA.

1967 - The James F. Digby Residence Addition, 20773 Big Rock Drive, Malibu CA. Added a trellis, storage area, and master suite. Sold to Clark Spencer. Sold to Zheng Liu.

1968 - The Bernard Residence, Oxnard Shores Lot 3, tract 899, Oxnard CA. Unbuilt due to height violations of local ordinances.

1968 - The Gershwin Residence, Trancas Canyon CA. Unbuilt.

1967 - Kappe's own house in 715 Brooktree Road, Pacific Palisades CA. As of 2011 still owned by the Kappe family. Bottom two photos by Julius Shulman.

1967 - The Harris House, Malibu CA.

1968 - The Gould-Jacobson House, aka the Gould-LeFetra House, 12256 Canna Road, Los Angeles CA. Commissioned 1966. The five-bedroom, 3 1/2 -bathroom building is a house of glass that appears to float among the trees. Sold to Jacobson. Sold in 2003 to Michael LeFetra. Sold in 2010 to Wallace Cheng. Sold to Alison C. Leston, Trustee.

1970 - The Leonard and Judith Gertler Residence, 14623 Hilltree, Santa Monica CA. Commissioned 1968. Sold to Michael La Fetra. For sale 2012-2013.

1969 - The Jack Faivus Residence, 537 West Rustic Road, Santa Monica Canyon CA. Sold to Maxwell Epstein. For sale in 2013.

1969 - The Lesser Residence, Malibu CA. Unbuilt.

1969 - The Greeven Residence, Palos Verdes CA. Unbuilt.

1969 - The Ravenspur Condominiums, 5632 Ravenspur Drive, Palos Verdes CA.

1969 - The Wasserman Residence, San Diego CA.

1970 - The Pepper Townhouse Manor, Pasadena CA.

1970 - The Igo Residence, Pacific Palisades CA. Unbuilt.

1970 - The Hattenbach Residence, Santa Monica CA.

1970 - The Dietsch Residence Remodel.

1970 - The Rubin Residence, San Diego CA.

1971 - The Residential Development, Ventura CA. Unbuilt.

1971 - New town, Newhall-Saugus CA. Unbuilt. In association with Richard Barron.

1972 - The Aardvark Apartment Center, Rohnert Park CA.

1972 - The Spanner Residence Remodel, Woodland Hills CA.

1972 - The Village Apartments, Rohnert Park CA.

1973 - The Elaine Stone Condominiums, 3815 Ocean Front Walk, Venice CA. 3-unit condominium designed wtih Herbert Kahn and Rex Lotery, built to maximize ocean views. Each unit has a family-play room at beach level and loft overlooking a two-story living room.

1973 - Student Housing Cal State Poly, San Luis Obispo and Cal State Sonoma. These were competition entries for student housing. Kappe won for San Luis Obispo but not for Cal State Sonoma.

1973 - The Massey Residence, Pasadena CA.

1974 - The Fink Residence, Montecito CA.

1974 - Residential Development, Inglewood CA.

1974 - The Katzenstein House, 739 Brooktree Road, Pacific Palisades CA. Sold to the Northern and Max E. Wheeler Trust.

1975 - The Penn/Crowell House, 218 Rivo Alto Canal, Long Beach CA. Commissioned 1973.
Sold to the Robinsons.

1976 - The Sultan House, 14173 Alisal Lane, Santa Monica CA. Commissioned 1972. Sold to Dallas Price-Van Breda. Kappe did an addition in 1982. Sold in 2010 to Susan Winfield and Stephen Grynberg.

1976 - The Hellinger Residence, Brentwood area of Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

1976 - The Collen Residence, Pacific Palisades CA. Unbuilt.

1977 - The Suzanne Dunaway-Chappell Residence, 1970 North Beverly Glen Boulevard, Los Angeles CA.

1977 - The Greystone Manor and Park Restoration, Beverly Hills CA.
(No mention of his work on website http://greystonemansion.org/).

1978 - The Selber-Grauel Condominium, Canoga Park CA. Unbuilt.

1978 - The Gurnee Residence, Santa Barbara CA. Probably unbuilt.

1978 - Apartment Complex at University of California, Santa Barbara CA. 150 units. Part of a competition. Kappe did not win.

1978 - La Jolla Shores, San Diego CA.

1979 - The Siskin Ranchos, San Joaquin Bluff Plan, Fresno CA.

1979 - The Sherry Broida Residence, 639 Hightree, Pacific Palisades CA. Unbuilt.

1979 - The Rozet Residence, Pacific Palisades CA. Unbuilt.

1979 - The Freedman Housing Project, Los Angeles CA. Unsure if built.

1980 - The Puro Residence, Santa Monica, CA.

1980 - The Benton Residence, Los Angeles CA. Unbuilt.

1980 - The Uni-West Condominiums, Phoenix AZ, unsure if built.
Listed in his book but not in his papers.

1981 - The Freedman House, 533 9th Street, Santa Monica CA. Commissioned 1978. This was Kappe's first house for a typical small city lot. As of 2013 still owned by Gary and Donna Freedman.

1981 - The Jack Maxwell House, 20706 Rockpoint Way, Malibu CA, designed with Manuel de la Iglesia. Unbuilt due to cost.

1981 - The Jerry and Ruth Goldstein House, 131 Gunston Drive, Brentwood CA. Unbuilt.

1981 - The Block Residence, 1839 Westridge, Los Angeles CA.
Commissioned 1977. Sold to Gary W. McKenzie.

1981 - The Clifford D. Rome Proposal for eight residences, about 244sf each, no location, unbuilt.

1983 - The Dan and Bonnie Finegood House, 27550 Winding Way, Malibu CA, in association with Finn Kappe. Included pool and tennis courts.

1984 - The Leonard Kapelovitz Residence, 6300 Plateau Drive, Cherry Hills Village CO. Three levels of living space were created for panoramic views of the sunset and the surrounding mountains. Observation tower-fireplace-study is a major feture of the house and built high enough to enjoy Pikes Peak to the south.

1984 - The Houshang Borghei House, aka the Borghei-Cookston House, 762 Latimer Road, Santa Monica CA. Commissioned 1977. The house was not completed and sat for six years unfinished until it was sold to Stephen and Shirley Cookston, who did renovations.

1986 - The Harkham Residence, Beverly Hills CA, in association with Finn Kappe. Unbuilt.

1986 - The Jeff Greene Residence, 23 Oakmont Drive, Los Angeles CA,
in association with Finn Kappe. Unbuilt.

1986 - The Alfred Roven Residence, 805 Cord Circle, Beverly Hills CA, in association with Finn Kappe.

1985 - The Lou Scheimer Residence, 1600 The Strand, Manhattan Beach CA. Commissioned 1982 in association with Dean Nota. Sold for the first time in 2011.

1986 - University of UCLA Northwest Campus Student Housing and Recreation Development Proposal, unbuilt.

1987 - The George Padgett Residence, 5610 Naples Canal, Long Beach CA, listed as designed by Ron Kappe. As of 2013 still owned by the Padgett family.

1987 - The Alice and Bill Unger Residence, 320 Mount Holyoke Avenue, Pacific Palisades CA, designed with Finn Kappe. Unbuilt.

1987 - The Ron and Jacqueline Behling House, 1128 Tigertail Road, Los Angeles CA. Designed with Finn Kappe. Unbuilt. Land belongs to architect Dale Yonkin as of 2012.

1987 - The Lederer Residence, Pacific Palisades CA, with Finn Kappe.

1987 - The Millar Residence, Pacific Palisades CA, with Finn Kappe.

1988 - The Mark Slotkin Residence, 1330 Beverly Estates Drive, Los Angeles CA. Kappe's design was unbuilt, and the lot was later sold.

1988 - The Vasile Condominium, Venice CA.

1989 - The Jamal Tamer/Investcal House, 2348 Ocean Avenue, Venice CA. An older home was demolished and a new 3,400 sf house built.

1989 - The Svensson Residence, Corona del Mar CA. Unbuilt.

1989 - The Sam Secof Remodel, 1861 Roscomare Road, Bel Air CA.

1990 - The Srebnik Residence, Palos Verdes CA, with Finn Kappe. Unbuilt.

1990 - The Harold and Lee Kapelovitz Remodel and Addition, 811 Hillcrest Road, Beverly Hills CA. Harold was the son of Kappe's earlier client.

1990 - The Anne Keeler-Melcher and Robert Myers Remodel, aka the Melcher-Keeler Residence, 16525 Akron Street, Pacific Palisades CA. Commissioned 1986. Sold to the Anne H. Keeler Trust. 4142 sf.

1992 - The Wendy Carson-Michael Lindsey House, 315 29th Street, Manhattan Beach CA. The main objective was to maximize the envelope for living purposes while leaving a large central court on a 30' x 90' lot.

1993 - The Hatzer Residence, 27 64th Place, Long Beach CA. Unbuilt.

1994 - Housing for the Homeless, Las Vegas NV, designed with Ron Kappe. Unbuilt.

1994 - The Esther Benton Residence, 136 North Canyon View Drive, Los Angeles CA. 5000 sf. Commissioned 1987. Designed with Ron Kappe. Part of an episode of Californication was filmed there. The interior was also featured on the CBS TV show Shark.

1995 - The Steve and Cathy Brown Residence, 3893 Deervale Drive, Sherman Oaks CA.

1997 - The Bruce Shapiro Residence, 596 Dryad Road, Los Angeles CA. Commissioned 1993.

2001 - The Sam Culbert and Rosella Forte Residence, 19854 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu CA. Commissioned 1998. This home replaced a two-unit house. It was built upon the piling suppported floor of the previous structure. At living and master bedroom level, sliding glass doors stack so that the entire face towards the sea can be opened.

1999 - The Daniel and Gusti Frankel Residence, 2012 Tory Drive, Yadkinville NC.
As of 2011 still owned by the Frankels.

2001 - The Jefery and Pamela Levy Residence, 7315 Woodrow Wilson Drive, Los Angeles CA. Featured in GA Houses 66.

2006 - The Steve Glenn House, aka the LivingHome House I, 2914 Highland Avenue, Santa Monica. As of 2011 still owned by Glenn, who developed the idea for the LivingHome, a steel-framed, LEED Platinum, 2500 sf prototype prefab and got Kappe to do the design. This prototype, named Z6, was built over a period of 13 hours.

2007 - The LivingHome House II, aka the Rochedale House, 12321 Rochedale Lane, Brentwood area of Los Angeles CA. This is Kappe's second design for Steve Glenn's LivingHome series. As of 2011 owned by Adam F. Streisand.

2012 - The LivingHome House Canada, 20A Senlac, Toronto ON, Canada. The first upscale prefab in Toronto. A spec house built in two days by Nexterra Green Homes, the LivingHome franchise for Toronto. For sale in 2012.

Sources include: Catherine Westergaard; Getty Center Library: Ray Kappe Papers, 2008.M.36;
Blockshopper LA; Architecture4Sale; Steve Glenn; Michael La Fetra, Themes and Variations: House Design: Ray Kappe, by Michael Webb.