From modernist landmarks to midcentury experiments, La Jolla’s signature homes set the bar for coastal design.
In La Jolla, some homes feel like open-air museums, ones where California modernism, organic design, and coastal engineering come together to tell the story of the area’s architecture. From midcentury experiments tucked into the hills to cliffside masterpieces overlooking the Pacific, these properties have helped define La Jolla’s reputation as one of Southern California’s most architecturally expressive communities.
Explore La Jolla’s most talked-about homes:
- The Razor House
- The Sandcastle
- The Munchkin House
- Triad (Case Study House #23A)
- 484 Prospect
- The Mushroom House by Dale Naegle
- Burkle House
1. THE RAZOR HOUSE
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz’s La Jolla home, the famed Razor House, blends breathtaking architecture with oceanfront serenity, a true icon of Southern California luxury living. Image credit: Philip Romano/Commons Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)
- Location: La Jolla Farms Road, La Jolla, CA
- Year completed: 2007
- Size: Approx. 11,545 square feet (including main home and guest house)
- Beds/Bath: 6 beds, 6 full + 2 half baths
- Sale price: Sold for $20.8 million to Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz in 2019
Set above Black&’s Beach in La Jolla Farms, the Razor House is a modernist landmark of glass and concrete, designed to frame the ocean rather than compete with it. Designed by architect Wallace Cunningham and previously owned by telecommunications entrepreneur Donald Burns, the home was completed in 2007, using white concrete and sweeping panes of glass to create a structure shaped by light and the curve of the coastline.
Spanning 11,545 square feet across a main home and guesthouse, the property features cantilevered terraces, a curved floating staircase, and a subterranean garage built into the bluff. Its balance of engineering and minimalism has drawn worldwide attention.
In 2019, the property found new owners in Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, who enjoy La Jolla&’s laid-back privacy, where even global stars can blend in. Under their care, the home&’s legacy has only grown, solidifying its status as one of La Jolla&’s most iconic addresses.
2. THE SAND CASTLE
A landmark on Spindrift Drive, the Sand Castle reflects the grandeur and detail that define La Jolla architecture.
- Location: 1900 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla, CA
- Year completed: 2005
- Size: Approx. 12,981 square feet across main and guest residences
- Beds/Baths: 10 beds, 14 full + 3 half baths
- Previous sale: Around $26 million, purchased by tech billionaire Darwin Deason in 2009
- Current list price: $106 million
Built on one of La Jolla’s most exclusive stretches of coastline, the Sand Castle is a beachfront estate defined by scale, craftsmanship, and its rare connection to the water. The nearly 13,000-square-foot residence combines a main home and guest quarters, both of which open directly to the Pacific. It was redesigned by architects Drex Patterson and Lisa Krideman, following an initial version by Doug Manchester in 2005.
The architecture was inspired by The French Riviera, blending stone, marble, and fine detailing across terraces and formal living spaces. Gold-leaf accents, mosaic tilework, and a curved nautical bar add character, while the guest residence, modeled after Versailles’ Le Petit Trianon, extends the home’s elegance.
Once home to the Fowler family, owners of Southern Comfort spirits, Sand Castle remains one of La Jolla’s most storied coastal estates. Realtor Greg Noonan, who represented the sale, recalled one of many standout features: a sandstone lobster grotto and boathouse equipped with a pulley system that lowered a boat for lobster and abalone dives. Freshly caught shellfish were stored in the grotto’s cool waters until needed.
Now offered at $108 million, the Sand Castle stands as one of the most distinctive homes for sale in La Jolla, pairing European-inspired design with a true oceanfront setting.
3. THE MUNCHKIN HOUSE
- Location: Hillside Drive, La Jolla, CA
- Year built: 1935
- Size: Approx. 1,176 square feet
- Beds/Baths: 2 beds, 1 bath
- Recent sale: $2,650,000 on February 1, 2024
Built in 1935 by architect Cliff May, the Munchkin House is one of La Jolla real estate’s most recognizable curiosities. Set below street level along Hillside Drive, its red-tile roof and white stucco walls create the illusion of a miniature home, a quirk that has sparked decades of local storytelling.
The nickname emerged in the 1940s, when residents began saying the home had ties to actors from The Wizard of Oz. The story was never confirmed, but the myth gave the property a charm that still draws attention from passersby. Beyond its folklore, the Munchkin House stands as an early example of architect Cliff May’s California ranch style, blending simple lines with the contours of the land, a concept he would later refine across the state.
Now designated under the Mills Act for its historic value, the home remains one of La Jolla’s quiet landmarks, proof that even the smallest houses can leave a lasting mark on a community.
4. TRIAD (Case Study House #23A)
Case Study House #23A, known as the Triad, showcases the clean lines and minimalist geometry that defined midcentury modern design in La Jolla, CA. Image ©Flickr user kid_pro_quo licensed under CC BY 2.0
- Location: Rue de Anne, La Jolla, California
- Year completed: 1960
- Design concept: One of three interrelated residences (A, B, and C) designed to demonstrate affordable, modern coastal living
- Size: Approximately 1,580 square feet
- Layout: 3 beds, 2 baths
- Historic recognition: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (2013)
- Current owner: Katherine Bevash / Bevash Trust
Designed by Edward Killingsworth and completed in 1960, the Triad connects La Jolla homes to the Case Study House program and the postwar ideals that shaped modern California architecture. Built along Rue de Anne, the project introduced three connected homes – 23A, 23B, and 23C – arranged around a shared motor court to explore new ways of living that balanced simplicity, efficiency, and openness.
Each structure used steel framing, glass walls, and sheltered courtyards to dissolve the boundaries between indoors and out. The design emphasized light, proportion, and practicality over ornament, expressing a confidence in how modern architecture could adapt to everyday life. Of the three homes, 23A and 23C remain largely intact and continue to reflect Killingsworth’s vision, while 23B has been significantly altered over time.
5. 484 PROSPECT
484 Prospect embodies the art of preservation and reinvention, honoring La Jolla’s history while welcoming a dynamic new purpose.
- Location: 484 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA
- Year built: 1922
- Size: 16,683 square feet
- Beds/baths as per listing: 8 beds, 11 baths
- Status: Sold on October 2025
- Owner: Orli Hospitality Group
- List price: $12,800,000
Built in 1922 as part of the Scripps campus, 484 Prospect began as a nurses’ residence designed by architect Louis Gill. Positioned at the corner of Prospect and Cuvier near The Village, the building embodies the sturdy, symmetrical character of early institutional architecture in La Jolla. Over the years, it transitioned into a private residence, its solid masonry and arched details adapting seamlessly to a new role while retaining the grace of its original design.
That blend of preservation and change continues today. In 2025, the property was purchased by The Orli Hospitality Group, known for transforming historic landmarks into design-forward boutique retreats, following the success of its flagship Orli La Jolla hotel, which was recently honored with a Michelin Key for excellence in hospitality.
Plans were introduced to convert 484 Prospect into a 20-room boutique hotel, an adaptive reuse that would keep the structure’s historic form while giving it renewed purpose. Just down the street, the former Scripps Hospital at 464 Prospect followed a similar path, and now serves as luxury condominiums.
6. THE MUSHROOM HOUSE by Dale Naegle
Engineered for the shoreline below Black’s Beach, the Mushroom House showcases La Jolla’s inventive approach to coastal design.
- Location: La Jolla Shores Lane, La Jolla, CA
- Year built: 1968
- Size: Approx. 6,000 square feet
- Beds/Baths: 3 beds, 3 baths
- Owner: Buzz Woolley,a La Jolla-based entrepreneur and philanthropist
- Sale price: Approx. $4 million in 2015
Below the cliffs of Black’s Beach, the Mushroom House by architect Dale Naegle captures the inventive energy that defined midcentury coastal design. Completed in 1968 for Sam Bell of Bell’s Potato Chips, the home was built as a guest pavilion for the main residence above and engineered to endure the constant movement of sand, surf, and wind along the shoreline.
The circular concrete structure rests on a single column anchored deep into the sandstone, giving it the strength to withstand the elements while appearing to float above the beach. A private tram connects the two levels of the property, extending nearly 300 feet between the clifftop house and the pavilion below. Inside, the 30-foot-wide living space opens entirely to the ocean, reflecting Naegle’s goal of creating harmony between form, structure, and environment.
7. BURKLE HOUSE, La Jolla Farms
- Location: La Jolla Farms Rd, La Jolla, CA
- Year built: Late 1990s
- Size: Approx. 26,674 square feet
- Beds/Baths: 12 beds, 17.5 baths
- Lot size: Approx. 5.5 acres
- Owner: Billionaire investor Ron Burkle, who also purchased Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch
- Sale price: Approx. $16 million in 1999
In the quiet enclave of La Jolla Farms, the Burkle House commands a stretch of coastline overlooking Black’s Beach, its expansive gardens and ocean views capturing the scale and privacy that define this neighborhood. Set along La Jolla Farms Road, the multi-acre property is owned by businessman Ronald Burkle and is often referenced among La Jolla’s largest and most secluded estates.
Though much of the home remains out of public view, its presence is unmistakable. It’s a contemporary residence that uses open space and restrained design to emphasize the surrounding landscape rather than compete with it. The property’s size and position on the cliffs make it a defining part of the La Jolla Farms landscape, where architecture, land, and seclusion come together naturally.
WORK WITH THE NAME LA JOLLA TRUSTS
Each of these homes adds a chapter to La Jolla’s story, from the vision of their architects to the creativity of the residents who bring them to life. They capture what makes this community distinct: architecture that belongs to the landscape and reflects the spirit of the coast.
For more than 40 years, Greg Noonan & Associates has helped clients find homes that share that same character. These renowned La Jolla Realtors have an approach that combines local insight with decades of experience, giving buyers and sellers the context they need to make confident decisions.
If you’re exploring homes for sale in La Jolla or want a deeper understanding of the architecture that defines this community, connect with the team that knows it best. Call 858.400.8770 or email us today to begin your search with La Jolla’s most trusted name in real estate.
