- Chris Pratt and his wife demolished their 1950s Los Angeles home to build a new mansion.
- The couple paid $12.5 million for the Zimmerman House, designed by architect Craig Ellwood.
- Mr Elwood’s daughter said it could have been shown “some kind of honor” before it was demolished.
Chris Pratt and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger faced backlash last week after it was reported that they demolished a historic 1950s mansion in Los Angeles to build a sprawling new mansion.
Now, the daughter of the architect who designed the original house has also weighed in, saying the house could have shown “some honor” before being unceremoniously demolished.
This Brentwood property was designed by Craig Ellwood and is known as the “Zimmerman House.”
According to Robb’s report, Pratt and Schwarzenegger paid $12.5 million for the home in an off-market deal last year.
Elwood’s daughter, Erin Elwood, told the Los Angeles Times that the house is a “time capsule” that preserves midcentury modern design, which is said to be disappearing across the country.
But Schwarzenegger’s mother, Maria Shriver, reportedly lives on the same street, so she was “not bitter” and knew the Hollywood couple wanted to live there. He said he could understand why.
“I understand the love of family, and I understand the desire to be close to your mother and mother-in-law,” she said. “I understand being a millionaire and wanting to build exactly what you want and keep your family close. I understand all of that.”
“Unfortunately, that involved demolishing something,” she added.
Demolition is complete and Pratt, 44, and Schwarzenegger, 34, are currently building a 15,000-square-foot, two-story home on the site, Architectural Digest reported. The building will be designed by architect Ken Unger.
Commenting on plans to transform the site, Mr Elwood said: “I think it would have been really great to keep this grounds and do something…add to it in a really interesting and innovative way. But, you know, this probably isn’t the case. , if they’re building a farmhouse, that’s obviously not the case.”
Representatives for Mr. Pratt and Mr. Schwarzenegger did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
Zimmerman House
The Zimmerman House is a 2,770 square foot home named for its first owners, Martin and Eva Zimmerman. It had all the hallmarks of a mid-century modern home, including floor-to-ceiling glass windows, an open floor plan, and a stone fireplace.
The house also had a garden designed by renowned landscape designer Garrett Eckbo. Similarly, it was demolished to make way for Pratt and Schwarzenegger’s new mansion.
Eichler Network, a website focused on midcentury modern homes in California, published photos of what appears to be the Zimmerman House being cleared.
Mr Elwood said he wished the house had been given some kind of send-off so architecture students and enthusiasts could see it one last time.
“Could we have done something more creative to honor it in the process of removing it?” She wondered if Pratt and his wife could have given back to the architectural community by donating materials. also suggested.
“What people are responding to is [the home] “This is like a time capsule,” Elwood added. “I think that’s why it hurts people so much: there aren’t that many great ones out there.”