Los Angeles based banker and hotelier, Bob Ghassemieh, has recently completed 4 years of new ground-up construction on an 8000 SF Ray Kappe designed masterpiece in a prime hillside location in Beverly Hills. Kappe, who turned 90 years of age this year, has an unparalleled legacy in the architectural world in Southern California spanning 7 decades. Ghassemieh and Kappe have a relationship spanning 12 years commencing when Ghassemieh purchased an original 1957 Kappe designed home in 2005 and engaged Kappe to do a gut remodel/restoration and addition which was completed in 2007. Ghassemieh lived in that home till the Beverly Hills estate was completed, 1160 San Ysidro Drive.
The Ghassemieh residence in Beverly Hills was built on a 30,000 SF area which underwent significant site work transforming the previous pad which held a small 2000 SF ranch house to a very large pad enlarged by a series of poured in place concrete retaining walls. The main structure is 5 bedrooms with 6.5 baths. The main house features a remarkable custom open top glass elevator cab which travels through a custom built glass elevator shaft through all 3 levels of the house. The main house has a large gym, screening room and wine cellar. There is also a large detached 1 bed/1bath guest house with kitchenette and a detached pool house with bathroom and separate locker room and “club house”.
Sustainability is a key element to the house especially considering the volume of glass walls. The home was built with solar for electric, solar thermal for hot water and solar panels for the pool. There is radiant heating throughout the main level of the house and all the glass is high performance thermal glass.
The landscape architect was Mia Lehrer + Associates who masterfully designed a planting scheme where all rooms of the glass house have a view of the trees, lawn, city and/or canyon. Marcello Pozzi was the interior designer commissioned for furniture.
Ghassemieh also engaged Kappe and Marcello Pozzi to design an ultra luxury 5 unit residential building known as the Mr C Residences located adjacent to the Mr C Beverly Hills hotel owned, operated and developed by Ghassemieh’s family. The Mr C Residences will be retained by Ghassemieh and available on an exclusive basis for long term hotel rental fully serviced by hotel amenities and services. Photography will be available in December, and further details are available upon request at: bobg@atlanticpearl.com