Kellogg Doolittle mansion, located in Joshua Tree, California, is one of the most impressive examples of organic architecture in the United States. The house looks like a fossil when viewed from above and seamlessly nestles in its desert surrounding, making it look like it’s part of nature’s creation.
The fossil mansion was designed in the early 1980s by American architect Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, known for his innovation and “an architecture so full of life that it seems to breathe.” He was commissioned by Beverly and Jay Doolittle, who gave the architect as much time and freedom as he needed to get the work done.
After being in construction for more than 25 years, the Kellogg Doolittle mansion was finally finished in 2014. It consists of two buildings and has an interior structure formed by 26 piers that serve as walls. There is no lumber or drywall used for the interior.
Kellogg brought in his protégé John Vugrin to handle the interior design of the mansion. Vugrin followed Kellogg’s idea, opting for natural material and twisted curvilinear shapes.
“From its hand-laid stone path to the marble, copper, and glass work inside, there is no detail about Kellogg Doolittle that is underwhelming,” it says on the official website of Kellogg Doolittle mansion. “It takes days to take it all in. Never has the relationship between every item inside a home been so strong, but since everything, down to the BBQ and Table Lamps were made custom, and specifically for the home, that relationship is highly poetic.”
Kellogg Doolittle mansion welcomes visitors who want to marvel at its beauty and is also available for short-term rent as accommodation, filming location, and event center. You can learn more about it in this tour from the Architectural Digest.
