People are mad at Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger. Really crazy.
The power couple angered the architectural preservation community — which, it turns out, is quite large — when it was revealed that they demolished a $12.5 million historic home in Brentwood, California. The Los Angeles estate, known as the Zimmerman House, was completed in 1950 and designed by the late modernist architect Craig Elwood. In its place, Pratt and Schwarzenegger are apparently building a ranch-style mansion. See why the Internet cares — and what Ellwood’s daughter has to say.
Why is the Zimmerman House special?
The house, commissioned in 1949 by Martin and Eva Zimmerman, sat on a 0.83-acre property and included five bedrooms and three bathrooms. It featured a blocky exterior and 2,770 square feet of single-story living space. The famous mid-century home was one of Ellwood’s first projects. As noted by the Robb Report, which broke the news of Pratt and Schwarzenegger’s demolition, Ellwood is considered a pioneering modernist architect. His work is rare.
When did Pratt and Schwarzenegger buy the house?
The Zimmerman House was sold in 1968 and again in 1975. Both times, the property remained intact. It was quietly sold off the market in January 2023 for more than $12 million, and the house was quickly demolished. It was revealed earlier this month that the buyers were Pratt and Schwarzenegger. The digs are across the street from two properties owned by Schwarzenegger’s mother, Maria Shriver.
What exactly are they building?
In its place, the couple is building a two-story mansion. The Robb Report said the home in progress was designed by Ken Ungar, “perhaps one of the most prolific and successful designers of large modern farmhouse-style mansions” on the Westside.
Pratt and Schwarzenegger hit like ‘McMansion Searchers.‘
Social media is furious about the Guardians of the Galaxy star a lot. But Schwarzenegger, who married Pratt in 2019, remains out of the fight. This time, the internet come for both: “It’s sad to see icons of modernism needlessly destroyed by callous McMansion seekers,” read one post on X.
“Maybe I’m different, but I’d have a hard time sleeping soundly if I spent $12.5 million on this house just to demolish it,” someone else he wrote. It’s a feeling felt across the internet.
I didn’t care what Chris Pratt did…until now. He and his girlfriend purchased a historic mid-century home from Craig Elwood and tore it down to build a McMansion farmhouse. I can’t believe they were allowed to do this. Gross. pic.twitter.com/43dehJ6O91
-Mena Ganey (@mena_ganey) April 20, 2024
I didn’t need another reason to hate Chris Pratt, but he was kind enough to remind us why he’s the worst Chris.
Imagine demolishing this historic home to build a “modern farmhouse” McMansion. https://t.co/l211VTFGHS
-Tai (@MeimeiBibs) April 21, 2024
I usually don’t give a shit what celebrities do with their homes and properties
But Chris Pratt bought a GORGEOUS 1950s mid-century modern house designed by THE Craig Ellwood and tore it down to build a shitty McMansion.
My mid-century modernist heart is shattered
– OLLIE (@ineffable_ollie) April 19, 2024
The Los Angeles Conservancy, a nonprofit whose mission is to preserve historic sites, wrote: “Old homes from all eras can almost always be updated and expanded to meet current needs while respecting the original architecture and design. That’s what we consistently push for at the Conservancy: **win-win** outcomes that allow LA to grow and adapt while maintaining its heritage.”
Pratt and Schwarzenegger commented?
Anything. Yahoo Entertainment reached out to representatives for both stars but did not hear back.
Craig Ellwood’s daughter weighed in.
Erin Ellwood says she’s not “bitter” about the situation; however, she told the Los Angeles Times that she would have done everything differently.
“I think it would have been really cool to keep it and do something…add something in a really interesting and innovative way,” she said. “But you know, maybe that’s not their style. I mean, it clearly isn’t, if they’re building a farmhouse.”
Ellwood added that destroying the house is “very brutal” and asked if there was “something more creative that could have been done in the process of taking it down that could have given it some honor.” She wished the house had had a celebratory farewell (tours, donation of materials) before it was destroyed.
“I think what people are responding to is [the home] It’s like a time capsule,” she explained. “I think that’s what hurts people so much – is that there aren’t that many greats.”
However, Ellwood did not believe that the Zimmerman House was his father’s best work, and his heart is not broken over the ordeal.
“I don’t feel bitter. I understand the love of family, I understand the desire to be close to my mother or my mother-in-law,” she noted, as Pratt and Schwarzenegger reportedly bought the house to be close to Shriver. “I understand being a multimillionaire and wanting to build exactly what I want and keep my family close. I understand all of this. Unfortunately, it involved knocking something over.”
