progress unveiled for entertainment complex at john lautner’s sheats-goldstein residence

Sheats-Goldstein Residence in LA reaches new stage of design

As one of Los Angeles’s most famous mid-century homes, the Sheats-Goldstein Residence is nearly as iconic as the Hollywood sign, having been featured in film, television, fashion, and music videos and widely revered in architecture and design circles. With a long and complex construction history that began, first between architect John Lautner and the Sheats family in 1962 and later with Lautner and current owner James Goldstein, the property has been expanded upon and enhanced several times in the last seven decades with three different architectural teams. The current architect of record, Conner + Perry Architects, has overseen and designed subsequent additions since 2015. The newest one — the Goldstein Entertainment Complex — is an accessory entertainment hub close to the original house and below the tennis court. Conner + Perry Architects previously worked as Project Architects with Duncan Nicholson, Lautner’s apprentice and associate who continued work at the property following Lautner’s death.

all images © Joe Fletcher

John Lautner and goldsten’s iconic collaboration

For historical reference, when Goldstein purchased the property in 1972 after several subsequent owners, he hired John Lautner to embark on a series of improvements that they would term ‘perfecting’ the house. This work included the upgrading of finish materials, installation of frameless glass, addition of the koi pond entryway, addition of operable skylights, built-in concrete and glass furniture, renovation of the pool to have a zero edge, renovation of the master bedroom/bathroom suite, and extensive improvements to the surrounding landscape. Amidst this continued work on the house, Goldstein purchased the neighboring Concannon Residence, also designed by Lautner, as the future site of a new tennis court and guest house, with Lautner’s blessing. The two began to develop schematic plans for both projects, but Lautner passed away in 1994 before the design could be fully developed, and Nicholson took over before passing away in 2015, leading Kristopher Conner and James Perry to take over the project again. 

progress on Goldstein Entertainment Complex

While Lautner’s original master plan is still visible in the wood and cardboard model hanging in the house today, the current design for the Goldstein Entertainment Complex was overseen by Nicholson and Conner + Perry Architects. Construction first started in the early 2000’s, and as the project continued the program expanded and evolved to include an entertainment space, VIP room/library, offices for Goldstein and his assistants, a movie screening room, an outdoor terrace with dining and kitchen facilities and a pool and spa. The current team’s design for the outdoor terrace, which includes the main stair, restroom, kitchen and BBQ zones, dining tables, locker room and pool, completed only in 2023.

Future designs include a movie screening room and reception area, and a guest house located downhill near the James Turrell Skyspace installation ‘Above Horizon.’ The art piece was originally conceived as a collaboration between Turrell and Lautner, however Nicholson’s office completed the project in 2004, connecting it to the house via a series of concrete stairs, pathways, sculpture installations, and follies. Beyond developing these new and ever-evolving designs with Goldstein, Conner + Perry Architects also oversee maintenance and restoration on the original Sheats-Goldstein Residence and ‘Above Horizon’. Just like Nicholson before them, Conner and Perry’s designs honor Lautner and Goldstein’s architectural legacy by keeping with the tenets of the organic architecture philosophy. They approach the new structures as an evolution of the original house language, adapting it to meet new functions, inventing new details and forms, and creating spaces that celebrate freedom in the human spirit.

overview of latest program by conner + perry architects

Deep diving into the different programs, the Goldstein Entertainment Complex includes seven main elements. The infinity tennis court takes shape under the roof of the entire complex, with only a frameless glass guardrail along the southern edge,
affording stunning, unobstructed views of the entire city and ocean beyond. Next is a fully functioning private nightclub, Club James, set below the court. It includes a full concrete and stainless- steel bar, state-of-the-art sound and light systems controlled from a cantilevered stainless-steel DJ booth, stainless steel dance floor, a 26-foot-long LED display wall, and operable glass façade framing the panoramic view out to the city. Also called the VIP room, a back lounge area / library hosts Goldstein’s extensive collection of design and fashion books and publications and displays a few of the many publications featuring him and his home. 

Goldstein’s office, meanwhile, sit at the southwest corner and features a canted frameless glass enclosure that dramatically heightens the sense of space, pushing out into the view beyond. A custom cantilevered concrete desk dominates the room, providing a perch from which to look out on the city. Custom stainless-steel shelves and built-in concrete and leather cabinetry house basketball memorabilia and photographs with several celebrity friends. Behind are the offices of Goldstein’s assistants, with glass clerestories, custom built-in concrete, and leather office furniture. Below the offices is the outdoor entertainment terrace, featuring dining areas with dramatically cantilevered concrete tables, a full bar, and a catering kitchen with a custom concrete and stainless-steel barbeque. Bordering the terrace on the south edge is a pool with a 100-foot-long infinity edge. At the cantilevered western end of the pool is a triangular spa separated by an acrylic wall. Adjacent to the spa is a fire pit and cantilevered concrete bench, next to a restroom with outdoor glass sink and shower/changing room.