What has gotten into him? Instead of making headlines with good music, rapper Kanye “Ye” West is mostly making news with his bizarre antics. The state of his $60 million mansion in Malibu is now causing more disbelief and head shaking.
For architecture fans, it’s almost sacrilegious: the villa, designed by Japanese star architect Tadao Ando, with direct beach access, is one of the most sought-after properties in the region. But instead of cherishing and maintaining this exclusive property, Kanye West is doing the exact opposite: he’s deliberately demolishing the house.
In September 2021, “Ye” bought the house, which was built in 2013, for $57 million (about €53 million). Since then, he has hired various craftsmen to dismantle the masterpiece piece by piece. “This will be my bomb shelter, my bat cave,” he reportedly told one of the workers, according to the “New Yorker”. Windows and doors have been removed, leaving the building exposed to the elements and slowly rotting.
Tadao Ando: A Master of Architecture
The building, located in the exclusive town of Malibu, offers more than 370 square meters of living space and is just a 30-minute drive from the mega-metropolis of Los Angeles. The villa consists of three floors made of concrete and steel. As a contrast, Tadao Ando designed huge window fronts that offer a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean. The master architect only takes on one or two projects a year and has done very little work in the USA so far. Living in an Ando house is therefore a real privilege – or so you would think.
The minimalist design was created in 2013 for a wealthy financier before Kanye bought the villa in 2021. He made renovations according to his own taste – which rather seem like demolitions. He wanted to “live in a work of art,” the 47-year-old is quoted as saying.
Kanye West: Dystopian Design Instead of Chart Success
With his album “Vultures 1,” Kanye, who is also a designer, made a comeback in February 2024. After serious accusations of anti-Semitism, altercations, and the end of his collaboration with Adidas, “Ye” couldn’t convince critics with the album. Could this be a reason for his destructive impulses?
No one really knows. Images and videos of the property show a deserted concrete block, looking more like a dilapidated parking garage than a multimillion-dollar house. According to “TMZ,” the homeowner had all electrical wiring, heating, air conditioning systems, and plumbing removed.
The Oppenheim Group Manages the Sale
Currently, the demolished building is back on the market. The Oppenheim Group, made famous by “Selling Sunset” on Netflix, is handling the listing – and had to reduce the price by a whopping $13 million from $53 million (about €49 million) to $39 million (about €36 million). Prospective buyers can expect four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a staircase leading directly to the dream beach at the doorstep, 150 square meters of rooftop terraces, and one of the best residential locations in all of California. But VIP broker Jason Oppenheim openly admits: “It costs several million dollars to finish the house,” he said in an interview with the “Wall Street Journal” at the end of 2023.