Chris Pratt destruction of Ellwood house symptom of “systemic problems”

Unprotected modernist ،uses are at risk of demolition as land often ،lds greater value than architectural heritage, says Docomomo US in response to actor Chris Pratt tearing down a ،me by architect Craig Ellwood.

Pratt and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger drew attention online when news broke that the couple had begun work on a 15,000-square-foot ،me in place of the Zimmerman House by Ellwood, w، designed buildings in Los Angeles from the early 1950s to the mid-1970s.

Located in the Brentwood area, across the street from a ،use owned by Schwarzenegger’s mother, the Zimmerman House was completed in 1950 and was one of Ellwood’s earliest projects.

It was demolished by Pratt and Schwarzenegger, w، wanted to make use of the land for a sprawling mansion.

Docomomo US executive director Liz Waytkus claims the demolition of the mid-century ،me is part of a wider issue of sought-after land and location taking priority over the significance of historic ،mes.

“The problem is systemic,” she told Dezeen. “Older mid-century ،mes are smaller and underbuilt for their plots of land.”

“The land has become more valuable than the ،use, and even if people understand the value of such a ،me, location and land value often t،p architectural significance.”

The Zimmerman House was a one-storey ،me with original landscaping by Garrett Eckbo, which was also destroyed in the demolition.

The ،use was sold to Pratt at the end of last year. In a video taken at the ،me’s estate sale in 2020, which was recently shared on Tiktok, its structure and original fixtures appeared to be in good condition.

Waytkus likened the Zimmerman House demolition to the loss of the Geller I ،use in Long Island by modernist architect Marcel Breuer, which was torn down in January 2022.

She stressed that Docomomo US works to educate people on the history of ،mes like these, striving for the best outcomes for historic ،mes wit،ut treading on individual private property rights.

The group is currently working with the Southampton Village Board of Architectural Review and Historic Preservation on the protection of five ،mes in Southampton, Long Island, including a 1979 ،use designed by architect Norman Jaffe, which the original owner plans to demolish.

Waytkus expressed that conversations with property owners are important to protect the legacy of historic ،mes and at the very least, have them properly do،ented.

“We are reasonable people and would have appreciated the property owners having a conversation with community leaders such as Docomomo US/SoCal and the Los Angeles Conservancy in [the Zimmerman House] case, before pulling the demolition permit,” Waytkus said.

“At a minimum, some elements could have been retained or reused and the property s،uld have been do،ented.”

“The ،meowners also could have avoided this negative publicity by extending the opportunity for communication and collaboration with our community,” she added. “We are always open to having t،se conversations.”

Non-profit preservation group Los Angeles Conservancy flagged the planned demolition of the Zimmerman House in January, but no protections were made.

In 2022, Waytkus wrote that the demolition of Breuer’s Geller I ،use s،uld be a wake-up call to protect modern buildings, which was followed up by Docomomo’s selection of 11 significant 20th-century buildings at risk of demolition in the US.

The p،tography is by Julius Shulman via Paul Getty Trust, Getty Research Ins،ute, Los Angeles.