Chemosphere

Chemosphere, designed by John Lautner in 1960, was once described in the Encyclopedia Britannica as "the most modern house built in the world." The octagon shaped home located in the Hollywood Hills was built for a young, determined aerospace engineer named Leonard Malin who was given the land from his father-in-law and wanted to defy the belief that a home couldn't be built on such an intense slope. To do so, the home was elevated 30' high on a 5' wide concrete post, and supported by a concrete pedestal 20' in diameter. Partial subsidies from Southern California Gas Company and Chem Seal Company helped fund the home. The experimental coatings and resins used to put the house together by Chem Seal Company influenced the name.