Mansion Global: Modernist Pierre Koenig, Architect of L.A.’s Iconic Case Study Houses, Built This Home for Himself

The Los Angeles home that Pierre Koenig—one of the city’s most well-known mid-century architects—built as his personal residence has hit the market for $5.79 million. 

Koenig is behind a number of L.A.’s iconic Case Study Houses, including one of the most recognizable homes in the U.S.—the Stahl House. He built his personal steel-and-glass residence—historically archived as “Koenig House No. 2” by the L.A. Conservancy—in 1985 for himself and his wife, Gloria. 

Staggered over three-levels and across almost 3,000 square feet, the light-filled house has an open floor plan with three bedrooms, a parlor, and a media room connected to Koenig’s architecture studio, which opens to a courtyard, according to the listing with Debbie Weiss of Compass, who brought the place to the market last week. 

At its center is a three-story atrium, crisscrossed by walkways and staircases that connect the two sides of the upper floor, the seller’s favorite feature. 

Postrain Productions

“It’s more than just an architectural statement—it’s the soul of the home,” owner Matthew Zehner said in a statement. 

Zehner, 40, founder and former CEO of Zehner, a digital commerce agency acquired in 2021, purchased the home last February for $4.9 million, records with PropertyShark show. 

After his purchase last year, Zehner embarked on a renovation. 

“I wanted to honor Koenig’s original design while making thoughtful updates that enhance livability, functionality and longevity,” he said. “Every decision was made with a deep respect for the home’s historical significance, while also ensuring it remains comfortable and efficient for modern living.

Postrain Productions

One of the most “impactful updates,” he said, was the new Senso resin flooring on the first level. Zehner said it aligns with Koenig’s minimalist aesthetic and “feels like a material he might have chosen himself if it had been available at the time.” 

The goal “was never to change what makes this home special—only to enhance it in ways that feel natural, intentional and true to Koenig’s original vision,” Zehner said. “We hope the next owner appreciates its history and experiences it as fully as we did.” 

Koenig, who was also a professor of architecture at the University of Southern California, died in 2004 at the age of 78. His “sleek glass-and-steel houses became emblems of the progressive values of postwar suburbia,” the Los Angeles Times wrote in his obituary. 

Source: Mansion Global