Stunning ‘cloud house’ lists in California for $15 million. See how it got its name
A luxury home with a fitting name is on the real estate market in the desirable Malibu area of California. Known as the “cloud house,” it’s available for $15 million.
According to Realtor.com, the mountain top escape was once known as the Mataja Residence since the 7,500 square-foot residence was built for Bata Mataja, the car collector who created B.A.D. Company, a business that designs and builds concept vehicles for the entertainment industry.
Architects George Whitman and Hagy Belzberg were presented with the challenge of Mataja’s need to get away from everyday life while “simultaneously maintaining a passion for the technological car culture,” the firm’s website Belzberg Architects described.
Oh, and they had to do this in an undeveloped area that was lacking essential resources including water, roads and power sources.
“The solution was to wrap the program 270 degrees around an existing granite boulder outcropping using the California courtyard house typology to organize the sequence of spaces,” the firm’s website explains. “The boulders form and complete the courtyard which make architectural use of this extraordinary natural feature, shielding it and the interior from strong northerly winds and weather as well as camouflaging the house from those hiking in the adjacent National Park. ”
The end result was the 5-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom dream property that’s an entertainers’ paradise in the sky. The estate consists of a main house and a guest house.
Features in the main residence include:
A gallery room
Office
Pool and spa
Wraparound bar and island
Five-plus car garage with auto lifts
20-car motor court
The home’s new name refers to either the cloud murals that color the ceilings, or the breathtaking views of the ocean and mountains, Realtor says.
Recent upgrades included window replacements “HVAC systems, roofing, solar panels and Tesla batteries, and generator,” the listing says.
This story was originally published November 12, 2021 at 4:21 PM with the headline "Stunning ‘cloud house’ lists in California for $15 million. See how it got its name."