A Donald Olsen-Designed Midcentury Seeks $1.7M in Berkeley, CA
The Berkeley Hills home underwent a thoughtful renovation by the current owners, an architect couple—one of whom is a former student of Olsen’s.
The Berkeley Hills home underwent a thoughtful renovation by the current owners, an architect couple—one of whom is a former student of Olsen’s.
Property Details:
Location: 735 Cragmont Avenue, Berkeley, California
Price: $1,695,000
Year built: 1956
Architect: Donald Olsen
Footprint: 1,798 square feet (three bedrooms, two baths)
Lot size: 5,934 square feet
From the agent: "Architect Donald Olsen was a disciple of the founder of the Bauhaus School, Walter Gropius, and designed 735 Cragmont in 1956 at the peak of his artistic career. His strict adherence to crisp iconic modular white buildings stood apart from fellow architects designing in the Bay Area tradition, whose houses mostly featured rustic natural woods. Modest and at the same time monumental, Olsen’s dedication to planning, efficiency, natural light, and visual framing of the adjacent landscape, create a magical home. Watch the lights of San Francisco as the fog rolls in through the Golden Gate Bridge and envelopes the area below. Surrounded by an expansive garden in front and an intimate garden in the rear, this house is a treasure to be lived in."
Prominent midcentury Bay Area architect Donald Olsen designed the single-family home at 735 Cragmont Avenue in the Berkeley Hills neighborhood in 1956.
Photo by Steph Dewey
"The sellers are both architects, and one was a student of Olsen’s in the 1970s," says the listing agent.
Photo by Steph Dewey
Walls of glass converge at a triangular point in the home’s entry vestibule, which features red Heath tile floors. "The glass vestibule was added in the 1970s, but was actually designed by Olsen," says the listing agent.
Photo by Steph Dewey
See the full story on Dwell.com: A Donald Olsen-Designed Midcentury Seeks $1.7M in Berkeley, CA
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