Architect was in San Quentin when he designed this California home for sale, reports say
A home with a unique origin story has landed on the real estate market in Pasadena, California, for $1.895 million.
Named the Thomas J. Atol Residence, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom home looks like something out of a modernist architect book, perhaps because it was designed by one of the most polarizing figures of the modern world, William Kesling.
Kesling was said to have outlined some of this particular house in a controversial place — prison.
“While Kesling’s talent was undeniable, his financial misdeeds were less so—serving time in San Quentin for fraud in 1937,” a March 26 news release on behalf of Compass Real Estate says.
“While behind bars, he allegedly left the final execution of this home to the John L. Hudson Construction Company. Despite its unconventional completion, the result is a stunning architectural statement that remains a collector’s piece for design enthusiasts today.”
Kesling, a gifted autodidact, revolved his work around a style known as “Streamline Moderne,” the Los Angeles Times reported in 2002. This was “a style characterized by horizontal lines, ‘machine-like’ framing and detailing and the use of materials that were seen in the ‘30s as ultra-modern--concrete, stucco, Vitrolite, Carrara glass and baked porcelain enamel panels,” per the Times.
This particular 2,106-square-foot residence showcases Kesling’s unique style over three levels. Features, per the listing held by the George Penner Team, include:
Open floor plan
Tiered gardens
Balcony
Patio spaces
Outdoor deck
Views
Garage
Storage
The listing is held by Compass and George Penner Team.
This story was originally published March 27, 2025 at 10:45 AM with the headline "Architect was in San Quentin when he designed this California home for sale, reports say."