The Roxy Roth House Designed by Architect Rudolph Schindler | 3624 Buena Park Dr.

Perched above Buena Park Drive in Studio City at the end of a quiet cul de sac, Rudolph Schindler’s Roxy Roth House of 1946 stands as one of the architect’s most refined meditations on space, light, and restraint. Commissioned by screenwriter and actor Roxy Roth and cared for by just four creative owners over nearly eight decades, the house remains a lucid expression of Schindler’s belief that architecture itself is the primary inhabitant.

3624 Buena Park Drive
Studio City, CA 91604

$2,800,000 | 3 Beds | 3 Baths | 1,964 Sq. Ft. | $1,426 Price/Sq.Ft. | 8,132 Sq. Ft. Lot | Built in 1946

Overlooking Studio City with panoramic views across the San Fernando Valley to the San Gabriel Mountains, the residence is both deeply private and expansively open, a small house that lives far beyond its footprint.

Schindler, widely regarded as one of the most important Southern California architects of the twentieth century and a close rival of Richard Neutra, once inspired critic Reyner Banham to write that he designed “as if there had never been houses before.”

Nowhere is that idea more evident than here. Honored as the only architect to receive a solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Schindler brought a sculptor’s sensibility to domestic space, and the Roxy Roth House is often cited as a canonical example of his thinking. Its composition favors planes of light, carefully calibrated privacy, and a quiet confidence that resists spectacle.

The approach to the house is deliberately understated. An unassuming entry leads first to a generous bedroom before ascending to the main living level.

Clerestory windows and a monumental picture window draw daylight in from multiple directions. The living and dining areas are anchored by original hardwood floors and a brick fireplace, while Schindler’s custom built ins line the room with functional alcoves and concealed storage.

Sloping timber slat ceilings heighten the sense of volume without excess, and the valley beyond becomes an ever present visual element, framed rather than flaunted.

The property was sensitively restored by its third ever owner, author Susan Orlean, who emphasized preservation over revision. Her stewardship respected the home’s architectural integrity while enhancing its livability.

To expand the usable space, Orlean commissioned Los Angeles architect Barbara Bestor to transform the original carport into a separate writers studio. “Schindler really adapted it to the site,’ said Orlean, writer of The Orchid Thief. “There’s nothing about it that’s the typical LA “look at me”; it’s a pretty quiet little house. Like living inside of a sculpture.”

The studio is approximately 400 square feet and lined with dramatic clerestory windows and functions as an inspiring workspace for writing, art, or remote work, distinct yet fully integrated into the property’s rhythm.

Outdoors, the grounds are conceived as an extension of the house itself. Native landscaping surrounds the residence, and a patio and fire pit create a natural gathering area above the home, oriented toward sunset views across the valley. As Orlean has noted, the outside here operates as another room, reinforcing Schindler’s conviction that boundaries between interior and exterior should be porous and intentional.

The primary suite continues this dialogue between intimacy and openness, featuring original details such as a built in reading light and a folding screen that can be opened to connect visually with the living room and the landscape beyond.

Throughout the house, Schindler’s bespoke cabinetry and architectural elements remain intact, grounding the interiors firmly in their midcentury lineage.

At 1,564 square feet, the three bedroom, three bath Roxy Roth House is modest in size but thoughtfully designed, offering a living experience defined by clarity, comfort, and careful attention to space.

It is a place where architecture does not announce itself loudly, but instead shapes daily life through proportion, light, and carefully framed views. The house endures not simply as a historic artifact, but as a fully realized work of art.

Interested in purchasing this fantastic home? I would love to get you a private tour of 3624 Buena Park Drive in Studio City. Call me today at (323) 697-3040 or email me at jacqueline.tager@sothebyshomes.com.

Listing provided courtesy of Ilana Gafni of Crosby Doe Associates, Inc. and Mark Priceman of Compass.

Jacqueline Tager | DRE# 1476997
jacqueline.tager@sothebyshomes.com | (323) 697-3040
Sotheby’s International Realty – Los Feliz Brokerage
1801 N Hillhurst Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90027

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