See CA beach home designed by ‘God’s Architect’ to endure disasters, be eternal
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kris Halliday built Simka Malibu, a 30,000 sq ft concrete estate listed for $35M.
- Property uses 7,300+ cubic yards of reinforced concrete to resist disasters.
- Estate offers 10 bedrooms, resort amenities, theater, spa, underground garage.
Designed by a self-taught craftsman dubbed “God’s Architect,” a concrete castle built to weather any disaster has hit the market in Malibu for $35 million, offering both fortress-like protection and a retreat-style atmosphere above the Pacific Ocean.
Known as Simka Malibu, the newly listed estate at 11824 Ellice St. is the vision of builder-designer Kris Halliday, who set out to create a home that could stand for centuries, according to Coldwell Banker Realty.
The property spans about 30,000 square feet, with 10 bedrooms and 20 bathrooms, and is co-listed by Jade Mills and Zach Quittman of Coldwell Banker Realty’s Beverly Hills office.
“When I designed and built Simka, I wasn’t trying to match what exists on the Malibu coast,” Halliday said in a news release. “I wanted to create something that would still stand a thousand years from now, the way ancient European fortresses still rise above their landscapes today. Every detail, every angle, every structural decision, every piece of the vision came from one mind. There was no team of architects, no army of designers. It was me, my hands, my ideas and my obsession with building something that would outlive all of us.”
Fire, quake, erosion proof
Completed using more than 7,300 cubic yards of super-reinforced concrete, the estate has been engineered to withstand fire, earthquakes, tsunami, mudslides and coastal erosion, according to the architect. Its design, Halliday said, was guided by the principle of “Brutality Vitality”—a balance of strength and serenity, where commanding geometric lines of concrete and glass coexist with lush landscaping and rare global stonework.
Arriving at the house is peaceful and ceremonial: Guests pass through a secondary gated entrance, into a tranquil Zen courtyard and along a stone-lined pathway.
Inside, floor-to-ceiling walls of glass erase the divide between interior and the ocean beyond, granting uninterrupted vistas from nearly every room. The approximately 1,800-square-foot primary suite floats above the coastline, with its own hot tubs, fireplace lounge, and spa-like bathroom. Additional suites offer similar privacy with organic materials, curated furnishings and sweeping water views.
“Simka is a residence conceived with permanence at its core,” Mills said. “Rising from the bluffs above the Pacific Ocean, this awe-inspiring architectural work boasts meticulously engineered living space with a rare balance of monumentality and warmth. It is not a home created for a decade or a generation, but for centuries. Simka stands as a timeless expression of architecture, conceived for eternity.”
True to its scale and ambition, Simka’s amenities rival those of a luxury resort. The estate’s 176-foot stone pool cascades across multiple levels, featuring a swim-up bar, sunken lounge, and a window framing the ocean below. Other highlights include a commercial-grade kitchen that can cater to 200 guests, a Japanese tea room, a state-of-the-art theater with a 235-inch LED screen and Italian leather seating, and an expansive private spa with a gym, sauna, treatment rooms, and underwater pool windows.
Recreation and contemplation
Outdoors, koi ponds, waterfalls, Japanese gardens, fire lounges, daybeds and meditation courts blend recreation with contemplation.
“I wanted the inside of the home to feel like a sanctuary carved from the same intention as the concrete structure itself: timeless, grounded and deeply human,” Halliday said. “The spaces are minimalist but warm, using natural textures, soft lighting and precise geometry to create a sense of calm that contrasts the power of the exterior. Every line, material and proportion are deliberate. The rooms flow like a story: open expanses that breathe, intimate corners that hold you, and long sight lines that frame the ocean as living art. Nothing is decorative for the sake of decoration; every element serves the experience of being present.”
The estate is completed by a private nightclub and underground garage for up to 10 vehicles. Wellness, Halliday said, is woven through every space, and even marble-clad powder rooms are imagined as sculptural pieces. Throughout the estate, architecture and landscape are designed not just to endure, but to inspire, according to the news release, reflecting Halliday’s belief that homes can become legacies.
“My mission is to create not just homes, but legacies: timeless masterpieces that will stand long after we are gone,” he said.
