An LA house that features a geodesic dome and has a long history as a creative hub for artists is on the market for $1.7 million — take a look inside

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An LA house that features a geodesic dome and has a long history as a creative hub for artists is on the market for $1.7 million — take a look inside
  • A Los Angeles house with a distinctive geodesic dome is on the market for $1.7 million.
  • Rachel Singer, the owner, used it as a studio where her friends could gather and work on their art.
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When Rachel Singer first stepped into the dome house perched on top of a hill in Los Angeles, she felt an instant connection to the place.

When Rachel Singer first stepped into the dome house perched on top of a hill in Los Angeles, she felt an instant connection to the place.
The exterior of the geodesic dome home.Jilbert Daniel

Constructed in 1982, the striking structure stands out from its gabled-roof neighbors in the Glassell Park neighborhood.

But checking out the quirky house was just supposed to be a fun Sunday activity; Singer, an actress who works in comedy and drama, wasn't looking to buy any real estate.

"I think we were probably still in bed, and my partner's friend posted it on Facebook and he was like, 'Oh, this is such a cool space! Let's just go look,'" Singer told Insider.

For years, Singer had wanted to create a studio where her friends could gather and work on their art.

For years, Singer had wanted to create a studio where her friends could gather and work on their art.
The living area.Jilbert Daniel

"I looked at various places but most of them were loft spaces with open floor plans. None of them really resonated with me and so that project went on the back burner," Singer said.

That changed when she saw the dome house.

"I had this flood of memories of all of those things that I had thought about and all of those plans that I had, and it just felt like I could do it here, like this could be the space for it," Singer added.

Singer ended up buying the dome home in November 2015 for $1 million, property history records show.

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The house spans three floors. The earth-sheltered lower level is built into the hill, there's a timber-framed kitchen on the middle level, and the geodesic dome sits right on top.

The house spans three floors. The earth-sheltered lower level is built into the hill, there's a timber-framed kitchen on the middle level, and the geodesic dome sits right on top.
One of the rooms on the lower floor of the house.Jilbert Daniel

The house was originally commissioned by a pediatrician who died before it was completed, Singer said.

"But we still have some documents of her. So I have actually in the entryway, there are some photographs of her and there is a newspaper clipping of her as well," Singer said.

The house has been renovated before, Singer added. The previous owner, an artist named Fritz Haeg, built a yurt on the grounds of the property.

With that, Singer's vision for a creative community space came to life. Friends, colleagues, and other artists would come to work on their craft or collaborate on projects.

With that, Singer's vision for a creative community space came to life. Friends, colleagues, and other artists would come to work on their craft or collaborate on projects.
The kitchen.Aurelia D'Amore

"There was an artist who was in the yurt using that as her studio, and there was another artist in the garage using that for her photography," Singer said. "Sometimes there would be people just who would work there, but also we would also come together and do various forms of collaborative projects."

Although Singer stays overnight occasionally, she doesn't live in the dome house full-time, she added. She lives in Silver Lake, an Eastside neighborhood that's a 10-minute drive away.

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Singer wasn't the first to use the house as a meeting space for creative minds.

Singer wasn't the first to use the house as a meeting space for creative minds.
The primary bedroom.Aurelia D'Amore

In an essay published on his website, the previous owner, Haeg, described it as a gathering place for "pageantry, performances, shows, stunts, and spectacles" and named these events "Sundown Salons" after the road on which the house sits. Haeg did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

"While I owned it, the people who came were more like photographers, film actors, and writers," Singer said. "And his community was more of the visual arts crowd. While both were creative communities, they were different versions."

Now, after eight years, Singer is putting the dome house on the market for $1.7 million.

Now, after eight years, Singer is putting the dome house on the market for $1.7 million.
The primary bedroom has unblocked views of the surrounding landscape and leads out to the wraparound wooden deck.Aurelia D'Amore

"Once COVID hit, the community nature of the space was pretty impractical," Singer said.

As time passed, most of the people who used to frequent the house have since moved on to different phases of their lives, she added. They either moved away, had children, or switched career paths.

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The house has one bedroom and two bathrooms.

The house has one bedroom and two bathrooms.
One of the two bathrooms in the house.Jilbert Daniel

Outside, in addition to the yurt, there's also a garden with an outdoor dining table and a campfire area.

Houses in the Glassell Park neighborhood of Los Angeles have a median listing home price of $999,000, per data from real-estate platform Realtor.com. There are currently 20 single-family homes for sale in the area, with prices ranging from $774,500 to $1.998 million.

The dome house, with its $1.7 million price tag, is the third-most expensive listing in the area.

Molly Kelley from Nourmand & Associates Beverly Hills holds the listing.

As for the ideal buyer, that would be someone who wants to be a part of the home's colorful lineage of owners, Singer said.

As for the ideal buyer, that would be someone who wants to be a part of the home's colorful lineage of owners, Singer said.
An outdoor seating area.Jilbert Daniel

"One of the things that's very special to me about this space is the lineage of it," Singer said. "It was commissioned by a pediatrician and then there have been various owners, artists, and creative collaborators in the space."

Every person who has passed through the house has shaped the place into what it is today, and one of the most exciting things about passing the house along is finding who's next, Singer added.

"I don't think anybody sets out to buy that space," Singer said. "It's one that you sort of adjust to figuring out what you can do with it. I know people who have looked at it, who were looking for a home, but then they're like, 'Wait, maybe I do something else with it.'"

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