A dome-shaped home on Balboa Island designed by the famed late architect John Lautner is no longer listed.
The house at 804 S. Bayfront failed to sell after its asking price dropped $300,000 to $5,195,000.
The landmark home was the residence of the late philanthropists Robert and Marjorie Rawlins. Lautner, a onetime student of Frank Lloyd Wright, designed a variety of unique properties in Los Angeles and elsewhere.
The 2,100-square foot Balboa house, built in 1980, hit the market last July at $5,495,000, then was cut by $300,000 in October.
In a poll in this blog, 22% of respondents predicted the house would sell for less than $5 million, and 67% said it would sell for under $4.5 million.
That’s not to say that Lautner’s work isn’t appreciated in Orange County. As a commenter in a Register story said after the unique Balboa Island house came on the market last year:
“John Lautner was a truly visionary architect whose work was not encumbered by convention. He pushed the boundaries, and set a high-water mark for cutting edge, contemporary architecture.”
The listing referred to the home this way:
“John Lautner’s ‘Rawlins House’ is the treasure of Balboa Island. Once called the ‘most urban of Lautner’s houses’, the home seamlessly blends an indoor/outdoor feel perfect for entertaining. The home’s lack of conventional walls and use of skylights draw sunlight to all areas of both floors throughout the day … With spectacular waterfront views of Newport Harbor from all living areas …”