Supermodel Karlie Kloss and her venture-capitalist husband, Joshua Kushner, have purchased Malibuâs iconic Wave House for $29.5 million, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The unique midcentury home was designed in 1957 by the late surf-loving architect Harry Gesner, for a local couple. In June of last year, the estate of former owner Mo Ostinâa prominent music executive for Warner Bros. Records who oversaw the label when superstars like Jimi Hendrix, Prince, and Madonna were being signedâput the house on the market for $49.5 million. Ostin died in 2022.
The beachfront dwelling is famously known for its wave-like shape (and rumored to also have been the inspiration behind the design of Sydney Opera House). Gesner told AD in 2008 that his inspiration for the homeâs curved roof came via the beauty of a cresting wave. âI paddled out in front of the site and designed it with a grease pencil on the deck of my surfboard,â he said. Genser achieved the roofâs distinct shape by bending laminated-wood beams and six-inch-thick wood sheathing. Building on the oceanic theme, he then covered the wood in hand-cut copper shingles which he said âlook like scales on a fish.â
Flash Sale: Become an AD PRO member for only $20 $12 per month.
The 6,200-square-foot house sits on large posts ground into Malibuâs seaside, giving it the appearance of a wave floating in the air just before it hits the sea. A deck made up of a series of multi-sized curves hugs the facadeâs floor-to ceiling glass walls. British rock musician Rod Stewart, who owned the property in the 1980s, asked Gesner (who lived next door in another of his famous homes dubbed âThe Sandcastleâ) to design railings for the decks. âHe was very concerned that people at his parties would stumble and fall off the edge,â said Zen Genser, the architectâs son.
Inside, a curved, sunken conversation pit in the living room faces a fireplace and the ocean. The all-white primary suiteâs sleeping area steps down into a lounge section outfitted with daybeds and a desk, while the ensuite bathroom features a side-by-side shower and built-in bathtub.
Kushner, whose brother is married to Donald Trumpâs daughter Ivanka Trump, has invested in many tech companies including Instagram, Spotify, and Klossâs coding bootcamp for girls. The couple, who share two sons, also own a New York City Penthouse in the historic Puck Building and a $23.5 million estate on Miami Beach.
