In recent days we have had the opportunity to talk about America for many oddities. At New York’s Grand Central Terminal, it was commissioned by Natural Light, a US brand of cheap beer, the most expensive work in the world. It is called “Da Vinci of Debt” and it is an installation made up of 2,600-degree diplomas. Its value is 470 million dollars. The temporary structure “Teeter Totter Wall“ was created on the border between the United States and Mexico. We talked about three swings that allowed the little ones to interact with each other, although there was a wall to separate them. The work won the prestigious “Beazley Design of the Year 2020” award. An annual prize awarded by the London Design Museum.
And now it’s time to talk about another bizarre but interesting all-American construction. After nearly ten years of work, between design and construction, the largest and most expensive house in America is finally ready. Built-in an exclusive area of Los Angeles and renamed The One, the nearly 10,000 sq m property remained top-secret for years until Architectural Digest managed to get through the gates of the mega property designed by architect Paul McClean and the interior designer Kathryn Rotondi. McClean drew inspiration from the history of Los Angeles to design the house. Surrounded by a 120m long jogging track, it took eight years and 600 workers to make the owner’s dream, film producer Nile Niami, a reality.
The villa, surrounded by a moat on three sides that makes it seem suspended in the Air, features an entrance with 8 meter high ceilings, which leads to a series of areas with breathtaking panoramic views. To the west, it has 360-degree views of the Pacific. To the east, the view is focused on downtown Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Mountains.
There are 42 bathrooms, 21 bedrooms, a master suite, a garage with 30 parking spaces, and two car-displays in the house. They could not miss a four-lane bowling alley, a spa, a 30-seat cinema, a philanthropic wing for a charity gala, a sky deck, and five swimming pools. For the interiors, Kathryn Rotondi has relied on brands from some of the most luxurious hotels in the world such as Aman, Bulgari and Baccarat. While the house’s color palette is a tribute to Tom Ford’s boutique on Rodeo Drive, a favorite of Miami and McClean. There is an impressive art collection in the house, from Stephen Wilson to Niclas Castello, to a group of bespoke furniture by the showroom.
Following the new city ordinances, a house of this magnitude will no longer be allowed in Los Angeles, transforming The One (a name that fits perfectly) into something truly unique. Now all that remains is to find a buyer. The starting price amounts to 340 million dollars, the equivalent of almost 290 million euros.
