Austria-born American architect Rudolph M. Schindler is known for his inventive Los Angeles homes and his concept of “space architecture,” emphasizing the relationship between rooms, light, and outdoor spaces. Rodney Ashbury Walker, the Nevada-born designer and builder who worked as Schindler’s draftsman in 1937, embraced a similar ethos in a Sherman Oaks abode he completed in 1949.

Known as the Asher Residence, the four-bedroom home sits on over half an acre of a quiet ridge above Beverly Glen. It’s considered one of Walker’s greatest works and a “historic example of early midcentury Los Angeles architecture,” press materials state. Apart from its 180-degree views across the San Fernando Valley and toward the San Gabriel Mountains, the retreat’s distinct harmony of redwood and glass throughout ensures its post-and-beam construction stays filled with natural light.

Dr. Leonard Asher and his wife Betty, a prominent art collector and dealer, selected Walker to build the home because of his “innovative style and modernist vision,” Dwell reports. To that point, the main living space can be reconfigured, enabling the home to shift from four to five bedrooms.

“There is one suite that was originally built with a curtain that slid across to create two kids’ rooms out of the space, and they took the curtain down, so it’s now a double-sized suite,” listing agent Andrew Manning of Berkshire HomeServices California Properties tells Robb Report. It still has “two closets and you can put a wall or a divider up and make it into two bedrooms,” he goes on to say.

The updated pad mirrors the spirit of the three homes that Walker contributed to the Arts & Architecture Case Study House program: Case Study House #16 (1946, Beverly Hills); Case Study House #17A (1947, Hollywood Hills), owned in the 2010s by Zac Efron; and Case Study House #18 (1948, Pacific Palisades).

The exterior’s boxy forms and contrasting materials catch the eye, while stone floors in the foyer and a red brick fireplace in the living room draw visitors inside. A wall of floor-to-ceiling windows stretches across the living room and study, where built-ins sit opposite generous desk space overlooking the valley. Farther in, the sleek eat-in kitchen’s integrated appliances include an under-counter wine fridge.

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Extensive use of natural materials, including wood-framed windows and exposed beams that extend over the rooftop deck, gives the primary suite a cozy treehouse feel. A picture window in the bathroom further strengthens the connection to the outdoors. Outside are spacious patios and lawns, along with mature avocado, walnut, pomegranate, magnolia, and olive trees.

The Asher Residence last sold in January 2021 for $3.18 million, property records show. It’s now available for $3.95 million with Andrew Manning of Berkshire HomeServices California Properties.

Click here for more photos of the Los Angeles property.