Producers Chris Hanley and Roberta Hanley are known for their innovative film projects, including cult hit American Psycho and Sofia Coppola’s directorial debut, The Virgin Suicides. Before his film career, Chris also worked in art, dealing in pieces by such luminaries as Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
When it came time for the couple to design a house, they once again wanted something on the cutting edge. The Hanleys partnered with architect Tomas Orsinski, a Frank Gehry collaborator, to design their landmark Invisible House in Joshua Tree, California, two hours outside of Los Angeles. The architectural icon has hit the market for $18 million.
Inspired by the sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, the home is a 5,500-square-foot mirrored box that reflects back the surrounding desert scenery and seems to blend into the landscape. Heat-reflecting Solarcool glass gives the home its unique look and keeps the interiors temperate despite the harsh desert weather, and filters out harmful UV rays. An eco-friendly foam roof and solar-electric system make the house a model of sustainability.
The glass walls open on three sides for a novel take on the indoor-outdoor living concept. Inside, a 100-foot heated indoor swimming pool is capped by a 224-square-foot projection wall perfect for screening films. The home’s three large bedrooms each have their own en-suite bathroom with Boffi fixtures. The primary suite is equipped with a giant glass bedframe and features a five-star, resort-inspired bath with soaking tub, floating vanities and rain shower.
A world-class chef’s kitchen makes ready-to-cater events a breeze with double ovens, a separate refrigerator and freezer storage, marble surfaces and Miele, Sub Zero and Wolf appliances anchored upon sleek concrete flooring. A Flos lighting system creates radiant ambient lighting with various colors to fit the mood.
Situated on 67 acres of tranquil desert, the home provides seclusion and oneness with nature. With cameos in numerous film projects and more extensive coverage on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals, the home has been available as both a film location and a luxury Airbnb stay with a per-night price of $2,500. A good mix of home and nature, the property is bordered by national parkland and a gated tortoise reserve, but it is only 10 minutes from Joshua Tree’s downtown. Other nearby options for entertainment include the Noah Purifoy Art Museum and truly limitless hiking trails.
Joshua Tree, California is known for both its spectacular rock formations and the quirky artists’ community that has sprung up among the eponymous spiky trees, according to TopTenRealEstateDeals.com. Escaping from LA’s corporate jungle, hundreds of painters and sculptors’ studios dot the high desert, giving it a Mad Max feel.
The area was also a well-known pilgrimage site for the superstars of classic rock, with such heavyweights as Keith Richards, Jim Morrison and Bono drawing inspiration from its stark scenery (with, perhaps, some psychedelic assistance). A-Listers like Madonna, Kanye West and Justin Bieber have vacationed in the area, while local recording studios have attracted the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Iggy Pop and Beyoncé.