RAYMOND L. KAPPE, FAIA

Kappe graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1951.
Starting in 1954, he completed fifty custom post-and-beam houses over ten years. After serving as Founding Chairman of the Department of Architecture at California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, Kappe resigned and started the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) which encourages learning through creative discourse and supports diversity of opinion within the framework of a common vision. Today the school has over 3000 graduates and is considered one of the top architecture schools in the country.

Kappe received many awards including the Richard Neutra International Medal for Design Excellence, the California Council/AIA Bernard Maybeck Award for Design, and the Topaz Medal, the highest award in architectural education. His own residence (bottom of page) was designated a Cultural Heritage Monument by the City of Los Angeles in 1996.

1957 - The Eric Lowens House, Kappe's 13th project, Sunset Plaza area of Los Angeles CA.  This house was originally a Kappe-designed 1,900 sq.ft. post-and-beam residence, built of redwood and glass.  Sold to Ghassemieh.  Renovated by Kappe in 2007, the result is a 2,368-square foot residence.  The master bedroom was expanded with a bath and dressing room, and a new bedroom was added. The existing swimming pool was replaced with a lap pool.  Photos by David Lena.

1967 - Kappe's own house in 715 Brooktree Road, Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles CA.  Bottom two photos by Julius Shulman.

1968 - The Gould-LeFetra House, 12256 Canna Road, Los Angeles CA. Commissioned 1966.  the five-bedroom, 3 1/2 -bathroom home embodies Kappe's gentle, organic expression of modernism. Although it is essentially a house of glass, Kappe added warmth with wood -- teak, redwood, mahogany, Douglas fir -- on walls, ceilings and built-in furniture and shelves. Perched on a steep hillside, the house appears to float among the trees.  Sold in 2003 to Michael LeFetra.  For sale in 2009.

1976 - The Sultan/Price House, Los Angeles CA.

1985 - The Scheimer Residence, Manhattan Beach CA.  Commissioned 1983.  For sale in 2010.

1987 - The Benton Residence, Brentwood area of Los Angeles CA.

1999 - The Daniel and Gusti Frankel Residence, 2012 Tory Drive, Yadkinville NC.

1988 - Malibu CA. 

2004 - The Shapiro Residence, Los Angeles CA.

2006 - The Steve Glenn House, 2914 Highland Avenue, Santa Monica.  Glenn developed the idea for the LivingHome, a steel-framed, LEED Platinum, 2,500-square-foot prototype prefab and got Kappe to do the design.  The prototype in the top four photos, named Z6, was built over a period of 13 hours.   The remaining photos are Kappe's other LivingHome designs.

2007 - The Rochedale House, Brentwood area of Los Angeles CA. 
Kappe's second house for LivingHome.

The Roven Residence, Malibu CA.