Chris Pratt, Katherine Schwarzenegger stir controversy after demolishing midcentury house they had bought
Actor Chris Pratt and his wife, author Katherine Schwarzenegger, faced backlash after demolishing a Los Angeles midcentury house they had bought—much to the disapproval of preservationists and architect enthusiasts.
Robb Report, a lifestyle magazine whose focus includes real estate, reported that Pratt and Schwarzenegger bought the Zimmerman House in the Brentwood neighborhood off-market for $12.5 million (P720.2 million) in January 2023.
They demolished the house afterward to “make way for their own new Brentwood dream home.”
Citing the USModernist, Robb Report noted that the house was commissioned in 1949 by Martin and Eva Zimmerman, and was completed in 1950.
The 0.83-acre estate “featured gardens and mature trees carefully placed by esteemed landscape designer Garrett Eckbo. Inside, the blocky modernist structure offered five bedrooms and three bathrooms in 2,770 square feet of single-story living space.”
Its previous owners were Sam and Hilda Rolfe. Sam was the co-creator of the classic 1960s spy series The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and the television series Have Gun—Will Travel. Hilda owned and resided at the property until her death 30 years after Sam’s in 1993.
The Instagram page of nonprofit Los Angeles Conservancy said the Zimmerman House is "a noteworthy example of Modernist design from this era.”
Citing the city’s SurveyLA program, it said the property is “potentially historic, yet no protections are currently afforded.”
Pratt and Schwarzenegger reportedly selected the house, as it was close to the latter’s mother, Maria Shriver.
Their move drew flak on social media.
On X, designer David Hill said it’s “sad to see icons of modernism needlessly destroyed by insensitive McMansion seekers.”
Realtor Julie Chang, meanwhile, said it’s “unbelievable” that the “notoriously onerous City of LA doesn’t allow anyone to do anything that makes actual sense.”
On Reddit’s “r/midcenturymodern” subreddit, meanwhile, users described the demolition as “incredibly sad” and “more proof that money can't buy good taste.”