The Stunning 1916 Knoll House on 2 Oak Knoll Terrace, Pasadena

The Samuel C Fertig House, renamed The Knoll House in 1971 by its new owner, Mrs Virginia Steele Scott, was originally built in 1916 and designed by preeminent architect Myron Hunt. Originally sited on five contiguous lots totaling 10.3 acres, which later became Oak Knoll Terrace, the original two-story, sixteen-room residence, was later expanded by another leading architect of the time, Gordon B Kaufmann. To ensure consistency, Peter Hall acted as the contractor for both builds.

The property, already architecturally significant for the main Residence, rose to unparalleled prominence in 1973 with the addition of the Virginia Steele Scott Gallery by modernist architects Ladd & Kelsey, who had just designed the new Pasadena Art Museum (Norton Simon Museum), of which Mrs. Steele was a significant donor. The structure, intended to showcase Mrs. Steele’s extensive art collection was, from its inception, much more than a gallery. Encompassing over 20,000 square feet on three levels, it contained multiple living spaces, fireplaces, elevators, restrooms and circular staircases; kitchen; offices and multi-use spaces. Today, along with the Residence, the Gallery’s use and versatility far surpasses these original functions.

Over the course of seven years, the two main structures totaling 32,644 square feet of living space were exhaustively updated and restored – preserving the 100+ year-old craftsmanship and materials used by Mr. Hunt and Mr. Kaufmann, while providing commercial grade systems throughout the property.

Now spread over 2.3 landscaped and gated acres, both structures have been repurposed to provide the highest level of living, entertaining and at-home work conveniences for today’s ever changing environment. Together, the living spaces afford a lifestyle unmatched by any property in Southern California.