Take in the wild American West from this Linda Taalman house, now on the market

A Linda Taalman house in Lone Pine, CA, is currently on the market, an opportunity to acquire a sustainably minded base in the wilderness of the American West

Ellie Stathaki's avatar
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views of Linda Taalman house, a modernist prefab house in the california desert
(Image credit: Sterling Reed Photography)

For those feeling the pull of the open expanses of the American West Coast, a Linda Taalman house would be the perfect place to set up camp – and such a home might indeed be within reach, as a lone, off-grid structure nestled among the wilderness of Lone Pine, CA has just come on the market.

views of Linda Taalman house, a modernist prefab house in the california desert

(Image credit: Sterling Reed Photography)

Explore this Linda Taalman house for sale in Lone Pine, CA

The project was designed by Taalman on a piece of land between Eastern Sierra and Death Valley, and gifted to one half of a client duo, Karen Rathburn, by her father. Karen and Gary Rathburn built the home as a true labour of love over eight years (four of them literally building it by hand). Surrounded by magnificent views, this architecturally precious home was worth the wait – offering a cinematic experience as well as a wildfire-prepared shelter with minimal footprint and a strong sustainable ethos.

views of Linda Taalman house, a modernist prefab house in the california desert

(Image credit: Sterling Reed Photography)

Linda Taalman house and its views of mountains in the american west

(Image credit: Sterling Reed Photography)

Taalman is known for her brand of desert modernism, which combines deceptively simple and open forms, often in utilitarian glass and steel, with sustainable architecture principles – including prefabrication and modular design to avoid waste and site disturbance in a way that adapts to the arid landscapes she often works with.

views of Linda Taalman house, a modernist prefab house in the california desert

(Image credit: Sterling Reed Photography)

views of Linda Taalman house, a modernist prefab house in the california desert

(Image credit: Sterling Reed Photography)

The clients have strong family roots in the area, so cared about creating a home that is respectful to its site, while allowing them to take it in and celebrate its unique nature. Large windows and open terraces work towards that, blending inside and outside seamlessly.

views of Linda Taalman house, a modernist prefab house in the california desert

(Image credit: Sterling Reed Photography)

views of Linda Taalman house, a modernist prefab house in the california desert

(Image credit: Sterling Reed Photography)

The result is not only striking to live in, but also deeply embedded in its context. Vistas of the region's peaks are on offer, including Eastern Sierra, Lone Pine Peak, Mount Langley, Owens Lake, Inyo Mountains and Alabama Hills. The last is a stone's throw away and the legendary filming site of some 400 movies (many classic American Westerns among them), TV shows and commercials – adding a precious layer of popular culture to this property too.

Linda Taalman house and its views of mountains in the american west

(Image credit: Sterling Reed Photography)

Linda Taalman house and its views of mountains in the american west

(Image credit: Sterling Reed Photography)

Agents: Jeremy Howe Steenblik and Nate Cole with moderncaliforniahouse.com

Price: $1650000 USD

Address: 3800 Granite View Dr, Lone Pine, CA

Ellie Stathaki
Ellie Stathaki

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).