Hidden behind enormous branches of “towering” oak trees on a leafy street in Los Angeles’ beautiful Laurel Canyon neighborhood sits an extraordinary compound with a rich architectural heritage that extends across not one, but two separate dwellings.
Totaling more than 11,000 square feet, the compound, which is known as the “Temple in the Trees,” was designed by late architect Barry Gittelson. Completed in 1979, the home has since undergone an in-depth renovation that brought a new level of intrigue to its already-unique design.
“It’s a special one,” says agent Nathaniel Cole of Modern California House, who is co-listing the property with his colleague, Joey Kiralla.
The dwelling, which is on the market for $2.88 million, was originally crafted for Stan Madson, co-founder of the storied Bodhi Tree Bookstore, which was known for selling spiritual titles focused on world religions until it closed in 2011.
During the 1970s, Madson, his wife and friends quit engineering jobs that supported military and war systems to open the space, which became “the best-known spiritual and metaphysical bookstore in the country.”
Though the bookstore has since been shuttered, Madson’s legacy lives on in his former dwelling, which was built just as the idea for the store was being brought to life.
“The house came first,” explains Cole. “The ‘bodhi tree’ was [initially] a small little home converted into a bookstore in West Hollywood. After this house, he built the newer, bigger Bodhi Tree Bookstore.”
Undeterred by the fact that many of Gittelson’s clients were celebrities and high-profile people with deeper pockets, Madson was determined to do anything and everything he could to work with the architect, even investing some of his own labor.
“Stan really finished it,” says Cole. “They had a contractor who built basically the envelope of the house. With help from the Los Angeles Zen Center, [Stan] was able to find people to help him finish the house.”
Much like the bookstore, the home possesses a spiritual feel—having been built to merge with its natural surroundings, creating a kind of rich oasis that feels far more removed from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles than it really is.
The property, which features two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, has had only three owners in its 50-year history. It last changed hands in 2021, three years after Madson sold it, when it was purchased by the current owners for just a hair over $2 million—however they have since invested much more money into a major renovation of the entire compound.
“They did a multiyear, full top-to-bottom renovation with a newer roof, updated heating and cooling, and electrical updates,” explains Cole, adding that they worked with Venn Studio in Los Angeles.
“All of the finishes, if they were replaced, they were matched [to the original built-ins]. The kitchen is a new kitchen but the cabinetry looks the same as the built-ins, by design. They were really careful to make sure it looks like it was always there.”
Whoever buys this property—which the listing describes as “a rare and evocative offering where architecture, nature, and future potential come together”—will get more than just a cool house tucked into the trees; they will get a true legacy compound.
Included in the sale are two adjacent lots, totaling .26 acres: on one, at a lower elevation, is a 650-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bathroom home (designed in 1953) while the other lot is undeveloped and features two parking spaces.
“You can have family in the lower house or a really nice rental. You’re not on top of each other. You can be completely separate,” says Cole. “There is the potential for future development. If someone wanted to develop that lower house, expand on it, that would be possible.”
While Laurel Canyon is already a hot spot in the L.A. real estate market, this house literally rises above because of its views.
“When you get into the canyon, you’re often tucked in, below the mountaintops. This is dramatic and different,” says Cole. “You’re at the peak of the hill, with views in all directions. With the sighting of the house, you have a broad expansive view.”
What also attracts buyers to this neighborhood is the country-like feel while still close to modern conveniences, according to the listing agent.
“You can really feel like you’re in nature, and yet you go right down the hill and you’re at Sunset Boulevard,” Cole notes, adding that freeway access is also near. “That proximity to so much in L.A. is a big piece of it.”
Another perk, rare for this neighborhood, is an abundance of parking with this listing—in addition to those two off-street spaces there are three more in enclosed garages.
“That can be one of the most difficult things being up there,” Cole adds. “It’s the sort of thing that, as with most houses like this, it brings its buyer to it.”
Obviously, a buyer passionate about architectural design will likely put in an offer, but it could also be a creative person. The listing agent believes that the unique setup could also serve as the perfect place for an artist or musician to create their own studio compound.
“The draw really starts with the desire for something that is really unique,” says Cole. “That’s the thread that is common throughout all the different people [who have toured this home]—they want the uniqueness of it.”
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