Architectural Designation - LR2 House is designated as KeyPrice Signature Architecture in recognition of its exceptional response to hillside living, refined contemporary minimalism and innovative approach to preserving the relationship between architecture, landscape and panoramic views. Designed by Montalba Architects and completed in 2018, this Pasadena residence represents a sophisticated interpretation of Californian modernism, where carefully positioned architectural volumes create a seamless dialogue between the natural terrain and the rhythms of everyday life.

Perched on a hillside overlooking Pasadena and the surrounding mountains, LR2 House demonstrates how architectural restraint can produce extraordinary spatial experiences. Rather than imposing itself on the landscape, the residence is composed as a series of carefully stacked and rotated rectangular volumes that follow the site's natural conditions. The result is a residence that feels both sculptural and deeply connected to its environment, balancing privacy, openness and uninterrupted views across Southern California.

The 390-square-metre (4,200-square-foot) private residence was conceived around the client’s desire to preserve a significant portion of the existing hillside flat pad. Montalba Architects responded by elevating and layering the living spaces, creating distinct architectural zones that each establish their own relationship with indoor and outdoor environments. The composition of solid and transparent elements allows the home to reveal itself gradually, with framed views, terraces and carefully controlled openings shaping the experience of movement through the property.

The lower level is embedded into the hillside, creating a grounded connection with the terrain, while the upper volumes appear to float above the landscape. Large expanses of glazing dissolve the boundaries between interior and exterior, extending living spaces towards terraces, gardens and mountain views. The architectural language combines concrete, stone, glass and refined material detailing to create a residence that is simultaneously powerful and understated.

LR2 House represents a contemporary architectural philosophy where structure, landscape and human experience are treated as one unified design exercise. Its award-winning design demonstrates how precision, proportion and environmental sensitivity can transform a challenging hillside site into an exceptional private residence.

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Courtesy

Architect: Montalba Architects
Founding Principal: David Montalba, FAIA, SIA
Photography: Kevin Scott

International Recognition

LR2 House has achieved significant international recognition and has been widely featured within architectural publications and award platforms for its innovative hillside response, contemporary residential design and exceptional integration of landscape and architecture.

Awards:

🏆 2019 AIA Los Angeles Residential Architecture Award – Honor Award
🏆 2019 AIA California Residential Award – Honor Award
🏆 2019 American MasterPrize
🏆 2019 The American Architecture Awards – Chicago Athenaeum
🏆 2019 WAN Awards – House of the Year
🏆 2019 DNA Paris Design Awards
🏆 2019 LABC Awards
🏆 2019 World Architecture Festival Awards – House Category Finalist

Featured internationally by:

Montalba Architects
Amazing Architecture
ArchDaily
World Architecture Festival
AIA California
AIA Los Angeles
Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Awards
WAN Awards
DNA Paris Design Awards

LR2 House reflects the architectural philosophy of Montalba Architects, a globally recognised design studio founded by David Montalba, FAIA, SIA, with offices in Santa Monica, California and Lausanne, Switzerland. The practice is known for creating architecture that is contextual, human-centred and conceptually refined, with projects spanning luxury residential, retail and commercial environments across the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

David Montalba’s design approach focuses on improving quality of life through architecture, creating spaces that are discreet yet powerful, where material honesty, environmental sensitivity and human experience define lasting architectural value. LR2 House represents one of the firm's notable residential achievements, demonstrating the studio’s ability to transform complex sites into highly resolved architectural experiences.

Signature Features

• Hillside contemporary residence overlooking Pasadena and surrounding mountains
• Sculptural composition of stacked and rotated architectural volumes
• Architecture designed around preservation of the existing landscape
• Floating upper-level volumes creating a dramatic visual identity
• Extensive glazing connecting interiors with gardens and panoramic views
• Seamless indoor-outdoor living environments
• Concrete, glass, steel and stone material palette expressing modern California architecture
• Carefully controlled natural light throughout interior spaces
• Private terraces and outdoor living areas integrated into the hillside
• Minimalist detailing with exceptional craftsmanship
• Strong relationship between architecture, terrain and climate
• Award-winning example of contemporary American residential design

✦ Market Track Record

Development Completion

2018

Current Ownership

Private luxury residence.

No verified public market sale or listing has been recorded since completion.

Market Position

LR2 House occupies a distinguished position within Pasadena’s luxury architectural residential market. Its combination of hillside rarity, award-winning architectural pedigree, internationally recognised design authorship and exceptional privacy places it among the region’s most significant contemporary private residences.

Properties designed by internationally awarded architects such as Montalba Architects typically command a premium due to their scarcity, design authenticity and long-term cultural value. LR2 House represents not only a luxury home but also an architectural asset with enduring recognition.

KeyPrice Estimated Market Value (2026)

US$6.5 – US$9 Million

Estimated Equivalent:
€6 – €8.3 Million

Market Consideration:
The estimated valuation reflects Pasadena’s premium hillside residential market, the property’s architectural significance, award history, approximately 4,200 sq ft of living space, panoramic mountain positioning, exceptional privacy and the prestige associated with an internationally recognised architecture studio.

LR2 House is positioned within the category of architect-designed residences where value extends beyond conventional real estate metrics, incorporating design authorship, rarity, publication history and long-term architectural legacy.