Architect Wallace Neff‘s iconic Airform “bubble house” has returned to the market in Los Angeles County for the first time since undergoing an elegant restoration that breathed new life into the pioneering midcentury modern design.
Known as the Wallace Neff Shell House, the two-bedroom, one-bathroom Pasadena dwelling is the last surviving example of the architect’s Airform homes, which were conceived in the 1940s in a bid to combat the housing crisis.
To build a structure in as cost-effective a manner as possible, Neff—who was best known for designing homes for a host of A-listers, including Judy Garland and Groucho Marx—came up with a “radical” new design technique that effectively drew on the basics of papier-mâché to create a dome-shaped dwelling.
The process involved the inflation of a giant balloon, which was then covered with steel mesh and sprayed concrete to create the basic structure, thereby avoiding the need for pricier materials, like wood and nails.
Neff branded the subsequent homes his “Airform designs,” later revealing that the idea for the unique building technique had come to him while he was standing at his sink shaving.
“A soap bubble appeared and it held firm against my finger … and it came to me, ‘Build with air,'” the architect, who died in 1982, revealed.
Beyond the affordability factor, the Airform houses, which could take as little as 48 hours to build, were also built to be incredibly durable, capable of “resisting earthquakes, hurricanes, and fire,” a statement shared with Realtor.com® revealed.
“Also referred to as ‘Bubble House,’ a reinforced concrete construction, erected with an inflatable balloon and then sprayed with gunite, this experimental postwar housing concept fuses futurist engineering with sculptural domestic design,” the listing notes.
“The Shell House represents a singular chapter in American architectural history, an extraordinarily rare convergence of preservation, experimentation, and design vision.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, Neff built around 2,500 Airform houses during his lifetime, although he had planned to construct up to 400,000, with the structure at 1097 S. Los Robles Ave. the only surviving example of these designs.
Still, Neff is said to have regarded the Airform technique as his proudest achievement, even after he was enlisted to design homes for Hollywood’s most prominent stars.
Built in 1946, the dwelling appears, at least on the surface, much the same as it did when Neff completed it as the first example of his Airform abodes. However, it has undergone several upgrades in the 80 years since it was finalized.
The first significant change was made in the 1960s, when an underground bomb shelter was added to the property, dug 15 feet under a small piece of land where a detached studio now sits. Measuring approximately 228 square feet, the shelter is still accessible to this day.
That studio space, which measures more than 1,000 square feet, could represent a very alluring aspect to any buyers eager to earn extra income—with the listing noting that plans have already been submitted to transform the structure into an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), which would add yet another layer of appeal to the standout home.
As for the “bubble house” itself, the property spans just over 1,200 square feet, all of which recently underwent a meticulous renovation at the hands of the sellers, former Walt Disney Co. executive Priya Girishankar and Carvana executive Damon Cleckler.
The duo purchased the home for $1.68 million in June 2025, when renovation work had already been started by a previous owner, and they vowed to complete the in-depth project, bringing a fresh perspective to Neff’s storied work.
“The result is an exceptionally thoughtful restoration that preserves the home’s radical architectural spirit while elevating its livability and comfort,” the statement notes.
Designed to occupy just one single story, the property features a spacious and open floor plan, with a large living room and dining area sitting at the heart of the home. Complete with a circular fireplace to further amplify the dome structure, the room also features a curved couch that seamlessly follows the line of the uniquely shaped walls, ensuring no space is lost as a result of the home’s shape.
Immediately off the living room is the kitchen, which has newly installed wooden cabinets and a large window that floods the space with light.
An elegant tiled bathroom with a walk-in shower sits behind the fireplace, while two spacious bedrooms complete the offerings in the main structure. Further living accommodations and entertaining spaces can be found in the detached studio space, which boasts its own living area, dining space, bedroom, and bathroom—effectively functioning as its own abode, although it does not have a kitchen.
While the studio was not built with the same curved walls as the “bubble house” itself, careful attention to detail was paid to its design, which features exposed wooden beams in the main living space, as well as two sets of double doors that open up to the grounds of the property.
Set behind an elegant concrete wall and large metal gates, the property’s corner lot affords it ample privacy as well as unrivaled outdoor space.
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