Inside the Lumiere House: A Remarkable Piece of Bay Area Architectural History
Every once in a while, a home comes along that reminds me why I became so interested in mid century modern architecture and architecturally significant real estate in the first place.
The Lumiere House at 331 Western Drive in Point Richmond is one of those homes.
Designed by architect Walter Thomas Brooks as his own family residence, Lumiere is unlike almost anything else you will encounter in Bay Area real estate. Its distinctive architecture, remarkable waterfront setting and fascinating history have attracted national attention, including coverage by Dwell, SFGATE and The Wall Street Journal. Dwell's connection to the house actually goes back much further. Lumiere appeared in the magazine's inaugural issue in October 2000.
I recently had the opportunity to spend some time exploring Lumiere because my buyer is in contract to purchase this extraordinary property. I also created a short video tour to give you a closer look at the architecture and some of the remarkable details that make this house so special.
Walter Thomas Brooks and an Interesting Eichler Connection
One of the things I find particularly interesting about Lumiere is Walter Thomas Brooks' connection to the history of Bay Area modernism. Brooks graduated from UC Berkeley and early in his career worked with Anshen & Allen, the architectural firm that played an instrumental role in developing the modern architectural language associated with Joseph Eichler's early homes.
While working for the firm, Brooks was given an assignment by architect Robert Anshen to create a site plan without conventional grid streets for Eichler's Fairmeadow development in Palo Alto. Brooks developed a distinctive plan using curving streets and cul de sacs. That plan ultimately appeared on the cover of Fortune magazine in 1955, when Brooks was only 28 years old.
For someone like me who spends so much time working with Eichler homes and other examples of Bay Area mid century modern architecture, discovering that connection made the opportunity to represent the buyer of Lumiere even more interesting.
But Brooks eventually developed an architectural language that was very much his own.
An Architect Builds a Home for Himself
Lumiere House was not simply another commission for Brooks. He designed and built it with his family as their private residence. Completed in the early 1970s, the house became a laboratory where Brooks could bring together many of the architectural concepts that interested him, including natural geometry, crystalline structures, efficient use of space, passive solar principles and a close relationship between a building and its environment.
The result is difficult to categorize.
From the exterior, the house appears almost sculptural. Its angular form projects toward San Francisco Bay like the prow of a ship. Brooks' interest in shipbuilding can also be seen throughout the interior in its compact organization, extensive built in furniture, multiple mezzanines and the crow's nest at the very top of the structure.
There is a sense of discovery as you move vertically through the house.
1,186 Square Feet That Feels Like Much More
One of the most fascinating things about Lumiere is the contrast between its actual size and the experience of being inside it. The home contains just two bedrooms and one bathroom within approximately 1,186 square feet. Brooks intentionally embraced a relatively small footprint rather than creating an unnecessarily large residence. Yet walking inside, the house feels anything but small.
You enter through a relatively compressed foyer before suddenly arriving in a dramatic living space that rises nearly three stories. Steel structural members frame cathedral like ceilings while enormous expanses of glass pull your attention outward toward San Francisco Bay.
The effect is a great example of something I appreciate about well designed modernist architecture. Square footage alone doesn't determine how spacious a home feels.
Volume, light, sight lines and the relationship between spaces can completely change our perception of size.
A House Designed Around Light
The name Lumiere, French for light, is particularly appropriate. Brooks experimented with translucent materials to create walls that could refract and filter light through the building. The exterior's distinctive plastic shingles were part of this experimentation with crystalline forms and the way light interacts with architecture. The Brooks family reportedly participated directly in making and installing elements of the house.
Inside, the experience changes throughout the day as sunlight interacts with the angled windows, translucent surfaces, exposed structure and wood. It is architecture that is meant to be experienced rather than simply looked at.
From Conversation Pit to Crow's Nest
Lumiere is also filled with wonderfully unconventional details. The main living area incorporates a sunken conversation pit. Built in cabinetry and furniture maximize the limited footprint. A compact galley kitchen reflects Brooks' emphasis on efficiency rather than excess.
As you climb upward through the house, you encounter additional mezzanine spaces, built in work areas and increasingly dramatic views. Eventually you arrive at perhaps the most memorable feature of all: the crow's nest. Perched at the top of the house, it reinforces the nautical influence behind the design while providing an extraordinary vantage point over the Bay.
The Landscape Is Part of the Architecture
Lumiere is equally compelling outside.The approximately 6,500 square foot waterfront property is extensively terraced and landscaped with mature fruit trees, walls of ferns, fish ponds and reflecting pools. Walkways seem to float across portions of the water features as the gardens descend toward the Bay. And then there are the views.
From different points around the property, the landscape opens toward San Francisco Bay, Mount Tamalpais, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Richmond San Rafael Bridge.
Even the detached garage has a Golden Gate Bridge view. It's one of those rare properties where separating the architecture from the site is almost impossible. Brooks designed the two to work together.
Representing the Next Owner of Lumiere House
Architecturally significant homes are always exciting to work with, but this transaction feels particularly special. Walter Thomas Brooks and his family created Lumiere as their own home and lived with the architecture they designed and built. Decades later, it remains remarkably unconventional.
The fact that it continues to attract attention from publications such as Dwell, SFGATE and The Wall Street Journal more than half a century after it was created says something about the strength and originality of Brooks' ideas.
I am thrilled to be representing the buyer who is in contract to become the next owner and steward of this remarkable piece of Bay Area architectural history. If you enjoy Eichler homes, mid century modern architecture and unusual architect designed properties around the San Francisco Bay Area, take a look at the video I created while touring Lumiere House.
Ary Assadi | Bay Area Modern Real Estate | Eichler for Sale | Bay Area Modern
Specializing in Eichler homes, mid century modern architecture and architecturally significant properties throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
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