Ted Soqui
Describing Frank Lloyd Wright's Ennis House may be easier with words than with photos. It has more facets and visual accents than the finest diamond. Most great L.A. homes have one key view — the Ennis House has hundreds. The mood of the house changes drastically depending on time of day. It is oddly cozy with sparsely placed, handmade furnishings, and can feel simultaneously ancient and modern.
Built in 1924, it's one of four textile block homes Wright constructed in L.A., often in the hills despite their inability to withstand earthquakes without significant damage. (Ennis House's stabilization was completed in 2007.)
Besides its architectural important, Ennis House has become a recognizable cultural landmark, appearing as a location in House on Haunted Hill, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Day of the Locust and, perhaps most famously, the sci-fi classic Blade Runner.
In 2011, the house was sold to billionaire Ron Burkle for $4.5 million on the condition that it would be opened to the public in some fashion at least 12 days a year. The views alone are worth it.
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