A Newly Restored Schindler Building Lists for $3.65M in L.A.

Arguably one of Schindler's most complex designs, the Falk Apartments, located on a hillside lot in Silver Lake, come with four individual units.

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Kathryn M.

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Legendary modernist architect R.M. Schindler designed only a handful of apartment buildings during his iconic career in Southern California, which lasted from his arrival in Los Angeles around 1920 until his death in 1953. One such property, known as the S.T. Falk Apartments, recently hit the market for only the second time since its completion in 1940. Sited on a sloping corner lot in L.A.'s Silver Lake neighborhood, the multifamily structure and each of its four units were also recently restored, with the current owner retaining many original features such as mahogany built-ins and plywood ceilings.

Commissioned in the late 1930s by S.T. and Pauline Falk, the Falk Apartments building offers four units—including the multi-level penthouse shown here. An original plywood ceiling runs through the center of the penthouse, while mahogany built-ins fill various alcoves and corners.

The plywood ceiling extends beyond a glass wall to an exterior overhang above the patio. Schindler designed the multi-story building by stacking and rotating each unit in different ways to take advantage of the corner lot and create more privacy for occupants.

Interestingly, the history of the Falk Apartments also intersects with two other iconic architects: William Krisel and Dan Palmer, whose prolific work includes thousands of midcentury tract houses and many of the so-called "Alexander" homes found in Palm Springs.

As recapped by historian John Crosse, the building's original owners, S.T. and Pauline Falk, so-happened to be Palmer's aunt and uncle. Palmer himself lived in one of the apartments when he first moved to L.A. in 1947, and Krisel designed a pergola atop the building when he was still a student at the University of Southern California (USC) in 1949.

When the duo decided to launch their own firm in 1950, the building's dirt-floored basement reportedly served as their make-shift office for a short period of time.

Another view of the penthouse living area provides a closer look at an original built-in cabinet along one wall.

Around a corner from the living room, a dining area offers views of the surrounding neighborhood and the Hollywood Hills beyond. A door provides direct access to the patio.

The penthouse's recently remodeled kitchen features updated appliances and finishes, mixed with original features such as a built-in banquette.

Last sold in 2015, the building comes with three one-bedroom, one-bath units in addition to the two-bedroom, one-bath penthouse and adjacent garden studio. The hillside location in Silver Lake is also just down the street from two other Schindler-designed buildings: the Bubeshko Apartments and the the Sachs Apartment complex, also known as Manola Court. Keep scrolling to see more images of the penthouse, as well as one of the other units. The entire property is currently listed for $3,650,000.