When pondering homes owned by high-status or ultra-wealthy individuals in past centuries and even decades, images of grand ballrooms, ornate moldings, and gold-gilded chandeliers come to mind. Just think of the Greek Royal Family’s home in Eaton Square. Today, however, the fashionable elite are often gravitating toward bare-bones decor, neutral color palettes, and purposefully sparse spaces.
Many architects have embraced this new style, but one takes the cake. Tadao Ando, an 81-year-old Japanese architect and a Pritzker Prize winner, has become highly sought after by celebrities. Reportedly, power couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé recently scooped up one of his creations in Malibu for the most expensive sale in California history at $200 million. Rapper Kanye West closed on another Tadao Ando Malibu residence for roughly $57 million, while Kim Kardashian commissioned the architect to create her home in Palm Springs.
Making his work all the more sought-after, there are less than 20 homes designed by him in the US, according to The Wall Street Journal. For those on the hunt for one, a penthouse designed by the architect just listed on New York City’s E 72nd Street asking $22 million.
The 12th-floor penthouse stands out from Ando’s other works as it sits atop a circa-1912 historic landmark building, but his precise design style abundantly washes through it. A true example of the draw of minimalist style, the unit feels two times bigger than the 2,548 square feet offered thanks to Ando’s cohesive and bright vision. In fact, most of the features seen in the three-bedroom, three-bathroom home were custom designed by Ando himself. From major components like the staircase and the elevator’s sliding glass doors to smaller details like the beds and door handles, Ando crafted it all.
Tal Alexander of Official holds this unique offering set to strike architecture lovers.
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