Perched 600 feet above the Pacific Ocean, one of Southern California’s most distinctive residences is a standout of 1930s Modernism with ties to an acclaimed American travel writer who disappeared at sea.
The Hangover House, a modern three-bedroom home in South Laguna Beach, was designed by architect William Levy Alexander and completed in 1937. Composed of concrete and steel, the 2,500-square-feet dwelling was built on nearly half an acre for Richard Halliburton, whose documented travels included scaling Mount Olympus in Greece and flying to Mali’s Timbuktu.
Following multiple delays in the construction of his Chinese junk, a wooden boat he christened Sea Dragon, Halliburton set off from Hong Kong on a three-month voyage to San Francisco in March 1939. Just over two weeks later, a storm with gale-force winds struck, and Halliburton, his partner Paul Mooney, and roughly 12 crewmen disappeared without a trace.
Clean lines and a floating concrete staircase accent the front entrance.
Ollie Paterson
