Above: The Kappe House located in the Pacific Palisades, California and designed by Kappe in 1965. Photo: Julius Shulman / Getty Archives
Modern architecture seemed more democratic to me.
Raymond Kappe
One of my favorite architects is Raymond Kappe. Born in 1927 the award-winning architect and educator was a pioneer in sustainable design and well as livability, factors that would be the driving force much of Kappe’s work, of which most is located in California.
When Kappe set about designing his own home, located in the Pacific Palisades, California, in 1965 he envisioned an open plan on multiple levels. With large windows, skylights with cantilevered terraces the home takes in the natural setting beautifully complimenting the interior, which is dominated by natural materials like redwood, cedar, and concrete accents. The house is a design triumph and an aesthetic masterpiece with a unique and striking spatial quality. One thing you might notice in the home are rail-less open ‘platforms’ and terraces (certainly not code today) and multiple sets of rail-less stairs. With the multiple levels, stairs, and platforms one might think this is a home only for young and limber. However, Raymond Kappe and his wife and partner Shelly, now in their 80’s, still live in and enjoy their home they first moved into in 1967. In fact the house has changed very little since they moved in; there was no need to change what worked.
The Kappe House as it looked when it was first built. Click on image for full view
A recent photo of Architect and educator Raymond Kappe in the Pacific Palisades, California home he designed for himself in 1965. Photo: João Canziani
A recent photo of Shelly Kappe in the Kappe House located in the Pacific Palisades, California and designed by Raymond Kappe in 1965. Photo: João Canziani
Raymond and Shelly Kappe have lived in the house since it was first built. Here are some recent photos of the Kappe's in their Pacific Palisades home. Click on image for full view
Video by Matthew Donaldson about the Kappe House
Interested to learn more about Raymond Kappe and West Coast Modernism? Then click on the images below to learn more about these great books!
