Dave Brubeck’s Cantilevered Midcentury Home Lists to the Tune of $3M

Dwell Staff
·1 min read
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Case Study architect Beverley D. Thorne designed the "floating" home for the jazz legend and his wife, Iola, in 1953.

6630 Heartwood Dr. in Oakland, California, is currently listed for $3,000,000 by Emma Morris of Red Oak Realty.
6630 Heartwood Dr. in Oakland, California, is currently listed for $3,000,000 by Emma Morris of Red Oak Realty.

Location: 6630 Heartwood Dr., Oakland, California

Price: $3,000,000

Architect: Beverley D. Thorne

Year Built: 1953

Footprint: 2,652 square feet (four bedrooms, four baths)

Lot Size: 0.29 acres

From the Agent: "Cantilevering 16 feet in the air is a significant piece of midcentury-modern architectural history, built for jazz legend Dave Brubeck and his wife, Iola, by Case Study House architect Beverley D. Thorne. The bold design is noted for the architect’s innovative use of steel framing in residential construction. Five steel beams project in two directions, allowing the house to ‘float’ above the challenging hillside lot, while preserving the natural beauty of a site that commands a magnificent panoramic view of the San Francisco Bay. The home is constructed around the pinnacle of a rock outcrop that projects through the center of the house into the music room, where Dave Brubeck Quartet practiced, and where monumental hits like ‘Take Five’ were composed. Dave Brubeck and his ‘tree house’ were widely featured in publications of the day, and Thorne’s ambitious design captured the imagination of the post-war American public. The current owner purchased the home in 1974, and in the years since it has been out of the public eye, until now."

A bright yellow door set under the steel framing pops against the brick, stone, and glass.
A bright yellow door set under the steel framing pops against the brick, stone, and glass.
Expansive glazing spans the open kitchen, inviting warm sunshine inside while also framing striking views of the San Francisco Bay and surrounding greenery.
Expansive glazing spans the open kitchen, inviting warm sunshine inside while also framing striking views of the San Francisco Bay and surrounding greenery.

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