Frank Lloyd Wright and Beverly Hills Architecture

Updated July 2026

Frank Lloyd Wright's work in Los Angeles changed how people thought about building in Southern California. His designs didn't follow the rules the region had been using, and they didn't need to. While most of Wright's career played out in the Midwest, the structures he left behind in LA, including one on Rodeo Drive in the heart of Beverly Hills, sit alongside some of the most significant residential architecture in the country. Jade Mills has represented homes by many of the architects who built Beverly Hills into what it is today, and understanding that architectural history adds a dimension to any property search that price per square foot alone can't capture.

What did Frank Lloyd Wright build in Los Angeles?

Wright built six residential structures and one commercial building in the greater Los Angeles area. The most significant are his four textile block houses, constructed between 1923 and 1925, and the Hollyhock House, which preceded them. His final LA-area project, the Anderton Court Shops on Rodeo Drive, came nearly three decades later.

After opening a small office in West Hollywood in January 1923, Wright filled his drawing board with plans for houses built entirely from geometric cast concrete blocks. He called them textile blocks because the interlocking patterns reminded him of woven fabric. The technique was experimental. The aesthetic was unlike anything else being built in California at the time.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Los Angeles textile block houses

The Ennis House is probably the most recognized of the four. Perched on a hilltop in Los Feliz, its massive concrete-block facade served as the visual stand-in for the bleak future Los Angeles in Ridley Scott's 1982 film Blade Runner. The house has appeared in more than a dozen other films and TV shows since. After years of structural decay, philanthropist Ron Burkle purchased it in 2011 and invested heavily in restoration, aided by a $6.4 million FEMA grant. It sold again in 2019 for $18 million.

How did Hollyhock House change LA architecture?

Before the textile block experiments, Wright designed Hollyhock House for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, who had purchased a 36-acre site in Hollywood known as Olive Hill. Construction began in 1919 and ended in 1921 when Barnsdall fired Wright over cost disputes. The relationship was rocky. The house was not.

Wright called the style "California Romanza," borrowing from a musical term meaning "freedom to make one's own form." The design pulled from Asian, Aztec, Egyptian, and Maya influences, all filtered through Wright's insistence that a building should belong to its site. The hollyhock motif that gives the house its name appears throughout, carved into concrete and cast into art glass.

Barnsdall donated the property to the City of Los Angeles in 1927. In 2019, UNESCO inscribed Hollyhock House on the World Heritage List as part of "The 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright," making it the first World Heritage Site in Los Angeles. That designation puts it in the same category as the Taj Mahal and the Acropolis.

Why it matters for buyers: Wright's Hollyhock House proved that Los Angeles could support serious, site-specific architecture. It set a tone that attracted the next generation of architects to Southern California, many of whom went on to design the homes that define Beverly Hills and Bel Air today.

What is the Anderton Court Shops building on Rodeo Drive?

The Anderton Court Shops at 332 North Rodeo Drive is the last structure Frank Lloyd Wright designed in the Los Angeles area. Completed in 1952, it's one of only three retail buildings Wright ever designed. Local philanthropist Nina G. Anderton hired Wright in 1951. He wrote to her that the building was "a little gem of an unusual sort." He wasn't wrong.

The three-story-plus-penthouse building stands out from its neighbors with a V-shaped front elevation, a lighted spire, and a curving ramp that wraps around an octagonal light well. A concrete mixture called gunite was sprayed over a steel frame, then covered in plaster. The facade was originally a buff color with oxidized-copper accents. It's now white with black trim, and the awning was a later addition.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. In 2024, Givenchy became its first single tenant, transforming the 8,000-square-foot structure into the brand's West Coast flagship. The restoration uncovered original diamond-scored concrete ceilings and floors, two original fireplaces, and Wright's signature red concrete flooring. For anyone walking Rodeo Drive, it's impossible to miss, and worth stopping for even if you're not shopping.

Which architects shaped Beverly Hills?

Wright left his mark on Los Angeles, but Beverly Hills was shaped by a different group of architects working across several decades and styles. Understanding who they are gives you a sharper eye when you're walking through a property.

Paul Williams deserves particular attention. He operated at a time when racial segregation meant he couldn't legally live in many of the neighborhoods where he was designing homes. He learned to draw upside down so he could sketch for white clients across a desk without sitting next to them. Despite these barriers, he became one of the most prolific architects in Los Angeles history, with more than 2,000 buildings to his credit. His 1949 redesign of the Beverly Hills Hotel, including the iconic signage, is arguably the single most recognizable piece of architecture in the city.

How did Beverly Hills architecture change over time?

Beverly Hills has moved through several distinct architectural periods, and the neighborhood you're in often tells you which era you're looking at.

1920s–1940s: Period Revival. The earliest estates drew from Spanish Colonial Revival, French Normandy, Tudor Revival, and Mediterranean styles. Stucco walls, red clay tile roofs, arched doorways, wrought iron, and interior courtyards were standard. Wallace Neff's mansions from this era still set the bar for what a Beverly Hills estate feels like.

1950s–1970s: Mid-Century Modern. The postwar boom brought modernist architecture to Beverly Hills in a serious way, especially in Trousdale Estates. Developed by Paul Trousdale beginning in the mid-1950s on former Doheny ranch land, the 410-acre hillside enclave above Sunset Boulevard became the largest and most complete grouping of custom mid-century modern homes in Los Angeles. A 14-foot height restriction (later codified as the Trousdale Ordinance in 1987) forced single-story footprints with expansive indoor-outdoor layouts and panoramic views. Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Dean Martin all lived there.

1970s–present: Hollywood Regency and new construction. John Elgin Woolf's Hollywood Regency style, with its theatrical facades and elegant interiors, became a defining look for celebrity homes in the Flats and surrounding areas. Today, new construction in Beverly Hills ranges from modern glass-and-steel to updated traditional, but the best of it respects the architectural heritage of its block.

Does architecture affect property value in Beverly Hills?

Yes, and more than most buyers initially expect. A home by a recognized architect, whether it's a Neff estate, a Williams design, or a Woolf Hollywood Regency, carries a provenance that goes beyond square footage and lot size. These homes attract a specific type of buyer who values the story of a property as much as its finishes.

In Bel Air and Holmby Hills, original architect-designed homes from the 1920s through the 1960s remain among the most sought-after properties on the market. The Ennis House selling for $18 million after years of costly restoration says something about how the market values architectural significance. Buyers weren't paying for the kitchen. They were paying for Wright.

Mid-century modern homes in Trousdale Estates have seen particularly strong demand in recent years, driven in part by a generation of buyers who grew up seeing these homes in films and magazines. The 14-foot height limit means these properties can't be torn down and replaced with multi-story construction, which has helped preserve both the architectural integrity and the long-term value of the neighborhood.

Local perspective: When a listing mentions the original architect by name, pay attention. In Beverly Hills, the architect's reputation is part of the property's value, and homes with documented architectural pedigree tend to hold their value through market cycles that punish generic construction.

Where can you see notable architecture near Beverly Hills?

You don't need to schedule a private tour to appreciate the architecture in and around Beverly Hills. Several Wright buildings and other significant structures are accessible to the public or visible from the street.

• Anderton Court Shops (332 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills) — Wright's final LA building, now the Givenchy flagship. Walk in during retail hours.
• Hollyhock House (4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles) — UNESCO World Heritage Site. Open for guided and self-guided tours Thursday through Sunday.
• Ennis House (2607 Glendower Ave, Los Feliz) — Private residence, but the monumental facade is visible from the street and worth the drive.
• Beverly Hills Hotel (9641 Sunset Blvd) — Paul R. Williams' 1949 redesign. The Polo Lounge is open to the public.
• Trousdale Estates — Drive through the neighborhood above Sunset Boulevard to see one of the largest concentrations of mid-century modern residential architecture in the country.

FAQs

Did Frank Lloyd Wright design any homes in Beverly Hills?

Wright did not design any private residences in Beverly Hills proper. His LA-area homes are in Pasadena, Hollywood Hills, and Los Feliz. However, his only commercial building in the area, the Anderton Court Shops at 332 North Rodeo Drive, sits in the heart of Beverly Hills and is one of only three retail buildings Wright ever designed.

What architectural styles are most common in Beverly Hills?

Beverly Hills homes span Spanish Colonial Revival, Mediterranean, Tudor Revival, Hollywood Regency, mid-century modern, and current new-build styles. The specific style depends heavily on the neighborhood and the era of construction. The Flats and older sections feature more traditional estates, while Trousdale Estates is known for its mid-century modern homes.

Can you visit the Anderton Court Shops?

Yes. The building at 332 North Rodeo Drive is now a Givenchy flagship store and is open during regular retail hours. The 2024 restoration uncovered original Wright features including diamond-scored concrete ceilings, two fireplaces, and the original red concrete floors. You can walk in and see a working Frank Lloyd Wright building without an appointment.

Is the Ennis House open to the public?

The Ennis House is a private residence and is not open for public tours. However, the massive Mayan Revival facade at 2607 Glendower Avenue in Los Feliz is visible from the street and is one of the most photographed residential structures in Los Angeles. The house was sold in 2019 for $18 million after extensive restoration.

Who designed the Beverly Hills Hotel?

The original Beverly Hills Hotel was designed by architect Elmer Grey and opened in 1912, before Beverly Hills was even an incorporated city. The iconic look most people recognize today, including the signage and the distinctive pink-and-green color scheme, came from architect Paul R. Williams' 1949 redesign. Williams was the first African-American member of the American Institute of Architects.

Interested in a home with real architectural history? Jade Mills has spent more than three decades representing properties across Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and Holmby Hills, including architect-designed estates that carry real provenance. Reach out to start a conversation about what's available.