See Big Sur home of famed architect — 30 acres, glass house, ocean views. Price: $7M
The 30-acre Big Sur estate of architect Mickey Muennig — perched 1,500 feet above the ocean and featuring a home built into the mountainside with an arched skylight, sod garden roof and a separate glass house — has hit the market for $6.95 million.
Muennig, often referred to as “the man who built Big Sur,” purchased the property at 50854 Partington Ridge Road when he first visited the region in the early 1970s, according to a representative of Sotheby’s International Realty. He had lived there ever since, until his death in June 2021 at the age of 86.
“Recognized as one of the top 100 architects in the U.S., Muennig helped shape California’s take on the organic architecture movement by building much of the architecture we see in Big Sur today, including distinctive homes built into hillsides and cantilevered on ocean bluffs as well the iconic luxury eco hotel Post Ranch Inn,” according to a news release on the listing.
Jeannie Ford of Sierra Sotheby’s International Realty holds the listing, which says the home has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,000 square feet of living space.
“This is truly an incredible opportunity for whoever will be the next steward of this exquisite property, with its stunning views, distinctive architecture and long legacy of housing many famous artists and writers,” Ford said in a statement.
Along with the primary home and the glass house, a multi-level caretaker’s house with ocean views can also be found on the land. The home is accessed by a private, paved, gravel and gated road. A secluded pond offers swimming in the summer.
“At just under 30 acres, there are sunlit ridges, magical redwood and oak forests, plenty of flat usable land by Big Sur standards, a peaceful year-round pond which is ideal for swimming in the summer months, and expansive views of the coastline north, south, and west to the setting sun,” according to the official property listing. “Here, one can unwind in the quiet serenity of nature at its purest, where often the only sounds to be heard are from the native animals, and the waves crashing below.”
The three distinct Muennig-designed dwellings use passive solar heating, where the home absorbs and collects solar energy right through the windows without the need for panels.
While the main house was under construction, Muennig built the glass-domed hut to serve as temporary accommodation. He ended up living there for more than 18 years before finishing the main residence. Sixteen feet in diameter, the glass structure is referred to as “the Big Sur Greenhouse” and features natural stone walls, an incredible suspended bed and glass tepee-style roof.
The main residence sits above the fog line. The eco-friendly house shows off natural building materials, such as wood, concrete and stone.
The circular caretaker’s cottage, designed by Muennig in collaboration with his daughter, Michele, is a multi-level home offering ocean views from every story and an open-air bath house where “one can fully engage in the natural beauty of this exceptional property,” according to the news release.
This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 10:43 AM.
