Inside the iconic ‘wave’ Malibu party pad once owned by Rod Stewart and Madonna’s producer as supermodel Karli Kloss and husband Joshua Kushner snap it up for $29.5million
Supermodel Karlie Kloss and her husband Joshua Kushner have become the latest owners of the iconic ‘wave’ Malibu beachfront mansion after they bought it for $29.5million.
But the new owners are only the latest in a long line of wealthy individuals who decided to spend big on the unique home, which has been credited for inspiring the Sydney Opera House.
It was built in 1957 after being designed by renowned architect Harry Gesner for his friends Glenn and Gerry Cooper after they discovered what proved to be the ideal location – a hidden cove with good waves for surfing.
The architectural gem, which has three rooflines shaped like cresting waves, was then sold to British musician Rod Stewart in the 1970s who was famous for making use of the grand location for hosting lavish parties.
To prevent any accidents during the festivities, he built a railing around the decking incase any of his guests accidently fell off.
He in turn sold it to the powerful music producer Mo Ostin in 1987, who is known for signing stars such as Madonna, Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, and Prince to record deals.
The mansion has a long line of wealthy individuals who decided to spend big on the unique home
Supermodel Karlie Kloss and her husband Joshua Kushner (pictured together in 2023) have become the latest owners of the iconic mansion after they bought it for $29.5million
The architectural gem, which has three rooflines shaped like cresting waves, was then sold to British musician Rod Stewart (pictured this month) in the 1970s who was famous for making use of the grand location for hosting lavish parties
Over the years the star power of the masterpiece has remained in the public eye, with it featuring as the dazzling home of a music agent in the 2019 film Yesterday.
The six bedroom home takes up 6,200 square feet and is propped up on stilts above the beach on an acre of land nestled in a secluded cove in Western Malibu.
It will now be owned by Karlie Kloss, 32, and property heir Joshua Kushner, 39, who is the brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
The house is still largely still in its original state, except for a few minor updates inside the home and the exterior wood replaced with white finishes to blend in the environment surrounding it.
Mr Gesner, who died in 2022 at the age of 97, was a self-taught architect who designed the house to look like a cresting wave.
He told the website Curbed in 2016: ‘I built the Wave House around a series of curved, laminated beams.
‘I wanted a shape like you’d find in the ocean. I really wanted something that was suitable to that site. I wanted a roof that formed to the curves, like scales on a fish. That’s why it has a copper roof with shingles.’
Gesner previously recalled how he went about initially designing the house in the book Houses of the Sundown Sea, written by Lisa Germany.
Inside the home, the living room features a deep conversation pit with a light gray, plush crescent-shaped couch that faces the bright blue sea and a large white fireplace
Off the kitchen, sits a large circular table that seats eight and faces the back deck that also has plenty of seating and a curved railing for the perfect Titanic recreation shot
The home has a beautiful view of the ocean off the coast of Malibu. The barrier around the decking was put up by Rod Stewart in the 1980s
It was built in 1957 after being designed by renowned architect Harry Gesner (pictured in 2012) for his friends Glenn and Gerry Cooper after they discovered a hidden cove with good waves for surfing which would be the ideal location
The Wave House put Gesner on the map and is said to have inspired the Sydney Opera House. The opera house’s architect Jørn Utzon even called Gesner to compliment him on the home’s stunning design
The house became so related with music royalty that it became the location of a pivotal scene in the 2019 music film Yesterday (pictured)
He said: ‘True to my way of designing, I camped out on the spot where I would plan the house. I spent two days surfing the break, all the time designing all aspects of the house in my head.
‘The cliffs and sand. The views and prevailing wind. The quarter mile of beach and surf. I checked out every point of view.’
Gesner would then take his 12-foot balsa board out into the sea, only equipped with a grease pencil and sketched the Wave House on the face of his board in the 1950s.
‘It was exactly as it is now, in every way, thrusting out into the surf at high tide and nestled back in the sand at low tide,’ the late architect, who lived next door in a home called Sandcastle, said.
The Coopers commissioned Mr Gesner to design the house for their family that epitomized their love of the outdoors.
For its quirky exterior that mirrors the swells of the Pacific Ocean it faces, Wave House has become an icon of California midcentury architecture.
The Wave House put Gesner on the map and is said to have inspired the Sydney Opera House. The opera house’s architect Jørn Utzon even called Gesner to compliment him on the home’s stunning design, Gesner’s son revealed.
The home also has another indoor dining spot off the small courtyard on the side
The Wave House put Gesner on the map and is said to have inspired the Sydney Opera House
The Midcentury Modern home is 6,200 square feet and sits on an acre of land and has six bedrooms
‘My dad was totally blown away that this architect was going out of his way to reach out to him and compliment him on his design, because most architects are egomaniacs,’ son Zen told WSJ.
‘They don’t tend to tip their hat to any other architect’, he added.
Inside the home, the living room features a deep conversation pit with a light gray, plush crescent-shaped couch that faces the bright blue sea and a large white fireplace.
It is surrounded by windows, light wood flooring, and a white shiplap vaulted ceiling, giving it a glamourous boat-like feel.
Behind the living room is a kitchen with a circular island and light wood counters. Off the kitchen, sits a large circular table that seats eight and faces the back deck that also has plenty of seating and a curved railing for the perfect Titanic recreation shot.
The home also has another indoor dining spot off the small courtyard on the side, as well as a small guesthouse and a garage.
The main bedroom is a sea of soft whites with a bay window, a sliding door that leads to a deck area, and plenty of space for a large bed and lounge chairs.
But over the years, the property has experienced some changes.
After Stewart’s ownership of the property it was sold to Mo Ostin (pictured with Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2018), the former chairman and chief executive of the record label Warner Bros
Ostin’s time at the address saw him brush shoulders with many of the most highly regarded artists of his era. Pictured: Ostin with rock band Van Halen in 1979
When Rod Stewart owned the house he grew concerned that his party guests would fall off his balcony on to the beach below, so the party animal decided to install railings along the decking in the 1980s.
His parties were the stuff of legend, with locals recalling encountering the entire Scottish national football team on the beach after they had been invited over for a kick-about, according to The Times.
After Stewart’s ownership of the property it was sold to Mo Ostin in 1987, the former chairman and chief executive of the record label Warner Bros. Ostin died aged 95 in 2022.
His time at the address seems to have been quieter, but during his 30-year career with the label he brushed shoulders with many of the most highly regarded artists of his era.
Ostin helped bring the world the Kinks, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, while Paul Simon, Tom Petty and REM also flourished under his sympathetic regime.
Another prestigious signing was Neil Young, who described him as ‘the greatest’ and inducted him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.
The house became so related with music royalty that it became the location of a pivotal scene in the 2019 music film Yesterday.
In the film Yesterday struggling musician Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is impressed at the house as it is where he meets the merciless music agent Debra Hammer (Kate McKinnon)
In the film struggling musician Jack Malik (played by Himesh Patel) gets hit by a bus and wakes up in an alternate world where he’s the only one who’s ever heard of The Beatles.
Jack begins performing The Beatles’ songs and claims them as his own, he is quickly introduced to the merciless music agent Debra Hammer (played by Kate McKinnon), who flies him to L.A. to prepare him for a worldwide debut.
It is here where the unreal real estate enters the frame as the outrageously gorgeous Malibu beach house where the agent lays out a vision of Jack’s future.
In the scene she outlines the sacrifices he’ll have to make but it shows her eagerness to make big bucks to buy the entire coastline.
The star-struck musician winds up being swayed by the mesmerizing location and agrees to her demands.
As the scene unfolds, it’s easy to see the influence of the home and its ability to dazzle the amateur.
‘It’s a scene about both the glamour—and the cost—of fame,’ a representative told the website At Home in Hollywood.
The new owner, Kushner, brother of former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, is the founder of Thrive Capital, a venture-capital firm that has backed technology companies including Instagram, GitHub, and Spotify.
Apart from being a model, Kloss is also the founder of Kode With Klossy, a coding camp for girls.
The couple also own a nearly 15,000-square-foot mansion in Miami for $21.5 million and a 7,200-square-foot New York City penthouse at the Puck Building which they spent $35 million on back in 2021.
