The razor house la jolla ca
Alicia Keys, Details of the Home & More
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Look! Up in the sky! Is it a modern masterpiece? Is it a sculpture? An opulent home? In truth, it’s all of these things and more. The Razor House in La Jolla is a famous landmark for its breath-stopping elegance, ingenious design, and it has become a legend in La Jolla since its rise to fame in 2007. In addition, the distinctive home has been featured in Calvin Klein and Visa Black Card commercials, further establishing the Razor house as a sophisticated figure of prestige and luxury in La Jolla.
The Razor house in San Diego enjoys a well-deserved reputation of status and influence amid all the other incredible homes in La Jolla. It was conceptualized and designed by world-renowned, award-winning architect Wallace Cunningham. The house is cantilevered from the La Jolla bluffs and it’s made primarily of ivory-hued, polished concrete with elegant floor-to-ceiling glass panels, giving it the appearance of gracefully emerging from the rugged, invigorating landscape.
The Razor House in La Jolla stands on a .77 acre cliffside lot initially considered unstable and unviable for construction. Thankfully, Cunningham had better ideas. The ever-inventive architect was blown away by the majestic views of the ocean amidst the golden bluffs and set to manifest his vision of a masterful home that embraces the stunning radiance of the coastal terrain. After a few weeks of creative brainstorming, Cunningham concocted a gravity-defying, monumental design showcasing the resplendent bluffs that cascade to the mesmerizing, moody Pacific ocean.
The Razor House is unlike any other. Every aspect of the home is custom-made and exclusively designed to celebrate Southern California’s exquisite natural beauty. With its bespoke ocean views seen from every area in the home to its fluid, minimalist design, this house is the epitome of style, grace, and luxury.
Who Owns the Razor House?
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The first Razor house La Jolla owner was Don Cooksey, who sold the house to Donald Burns in 2011. Today, it’s known as the Alicia Keys Razor house after the singer-songwriter, composer purchased it in 2019.
The 38-year-old Keys earned her esteemed celebrity status ever since landing her first record deal with Columbia Records at the young age of 15. She has gone on to win 15 Grammy awards and served as a coach on the popular television show “The Voice.” Keys is also well-regarded for her philanthropic causes and charitable work as the ambassador of Keep a Child Alive.
Keys and her hip-hop music producer husband, Swizz Beatz, initially sought a home in the Beverly Hills area. However, when mega-million real-estate agents Josh and Matthew Altman steered them in the San Diego area, the couple fell in love with the timeless yet modern-art home amongst sweeping, panoramic views.
At the time of purchase, the Razor house price was 20.8 million, which is 9.2 million less than the asking price. Additionally, the dynamic duo is experiencing La Jolla as a new home location. They have never owned property in this area previously and have no evident ties to La Jolla.
Where is the Razor House Located in La Jolla?In an affluent, gated community, the Razor house La Jolla address is 9826 La Jolla Farms Road. The home nestles in sun-kissed bluffs studded with rustic sage, fragrant pines, and perky cacti that bloom in the spring. The house’s rocky cliffs exude wild, rugged energy, and the ocean view is hypnotic as it is revitalizing.
This masterpiece home takes advantage of golden sandstone scenes, jagged terrain, and stellar ocean vistas. The area boasts breezes from Black’s Beach, to which the new Razor house owner has private access. The landscape surrounding the house is panoramic bliss for all the senses and refreshing to the soul.
Previous owner and telecommunications mogul Donald Burns adhered to savvy financial tips for home owners La Jolla by making significant improvements to the home. However, when he first bought it in 2011, the home’s construction was not fully completed. So Burns contacted the home’s architect, Wallace Cunningham, to finalize the look and feel of the house with finishing touches and additional custom refinements that took the Razor house in La Jolla to the glamorous next level we see today.
Burns had the entire estate wired, making it an ultimate smart home. State-of-the-art technology controls lighting, music, air conditioning, and electric window shades, all easily navigated by an iPad. Additionally, aesthetic touches were added, such as a custom-made Ralph Lauren pool table and a sleek circular sofa in the main living room.
Despite the cosmetic improvements, the house sat on the market for quite some time before Alicia Keys purchased it.
The turning point was when Burns listed the house with the Altman brothers. Once these real-estate experts took over, they sold the house within a week.
Many movie buffs have noticed the Razor house in La Jolla bears a striking resemblance to Tony Stark’s Malibu house in the Iron Man movie. The Razor house from Iron Man might be inspired by the futuristic design but it is not the same as the one perched atop the La Jolla hills. The major distinction from these two domiciles is that the home in the Marvel Comics movie was created with CGI (computer-generated imagery), whereas the Razor house is solic, large and in charge.
Magnificent Design
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You might think its sharp edges and sheared angles are responsible for the name of this magnificent home.
However, the architect named the house after the reminiscent sharp curves found on the Razor Point Trail in the Torrey Pines State Reserve, where the house resides. Just like its namesake, every design aspect of the Razor house of La Jolla memorializes and pays tribute to the majesty of the So Cal scenery and natural wonders.
The estate sumptuously sprawls over a spacious 11,954 square feet (including the underground garage) with a total of six bedrooms, six bathrooms, and two half-baths. Two of these living areas culminate into a distinctive 1,301 square foot guest house that is expertly crafted with as much attention to detail and breathtaking views as the rest of the La Jolla Razor estate. Guests can stay without ever interrupting the rest of the residents as there are separate entries to the carport and separate entrances into the house.
Speaking of guests, the house is dazzlingly decked for deluxe entertainment. The entire home is wrapped around a centralized courtyard where party guests stroll into the serene space illuminated by the amber glow of recessed lighting from the polished concrete steps.
The tranquility of this area beckons friends, family, and visitors to gather around the stone gas fire pit as its flames flicker light upon the alabaster-colored monoliths towering in the background.
The upper levels tout several expansive terraces inviting sunbathers during the day and sky gazers during the crystal clear nights. And for the piece-de-resistance, the substantially roomy rooftop deck with a complete outdoor kitchen allows the Razor house owner and guests to soak in the eye-popping view of the Pacific and surrounding coastline splendor.
For ultimate entertainment, the home has two kitchens, one for open-concept entertaining, and the other is a service kitchen ideal for catering staff or preparations for significant events. Both kitchens sport state-of-the-art appliances such as Gaggenau ovens and cooktops. There is also a wet bar hidden behind a secret panel door and built-in wine cabinets in the family room, which also boasts an 85-inch ultrahigh definition television.
More relaxation and entertainment opportunities are available in the lavish home theatre room, robed with velvet-covered walls and plush floors for optimal acoustics. The circular room is part of the round, ocular motif the home’s design is known for and brings new meaning to surround-sound, full-sensory entertainment experience.
This ocular theme of circular-shaped rooms repeats throughout the home in the master bedroom and the main living room. Curved glass window panes span ceiling to floor in these uniquely round spaces, rendering the feeling of genuine connection between luxurious indoor living and the pristine natural grandeur outdoors.
As impressive as all this may seem, the Razor house in La Jolla is far from finished with its sublime surprises. The home continues to up the wow factor with four levels of consistently aesthetically attractive features such as: A glistening glass library, two spas, a workout room, and a gleaming glass elevator to transport residents to each floor.
The shining achievement of the Razor house is in its masterful design that crowns mother nature as the ultimate, divine artist without any restrictions. The reflective polished concrete and steep glass panel windows encourage sun-dappled views throughout the entirety of the home. From morning to night, the sunlight penetrates and paints the house from morning to night, applying broad, fiery brushstrokes that make each sight a new canvas of color and brilliance.
The Stylish Attached GarageThe magnificent style of the Razor house in La Jolla continues to impress with the fluid, sleek lines of the underground garage. When originally built in 2007, San Diego County restricted the height of the house, so the architect redirected and carved out a subterranean 4-car garage. The entry into the garage is yet another homage to organic architecture as the driver follows a nautilus shell spiral drive to park their automobile.
You don’t have to be a car enthusiast to appreciate the classy attention to detail in this garage.
Recessive lighting illuminates against chrome and steel, reflecting like a diamond mine beneath the mansion above. The efficient design of the garage allows powerful punches of natural light to radiate down from square orifices in the concrete perimeter, emitting sunlight within this safe space for autos to have a happy home to rest or rev their engines.
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Perhaps the magnum opus of the Razor house is found in the thoughtful and skillfully placed infinity pool teetering just over the edge of the immaculate cliff upon which the home serenely rests. This is a masterful feature registering 5,100 cubic feet of sensual, heated swimming delight.
It’s situated superlatively even with the La Jolla hillsides and conjures an optical illusion of perfect meshing and marriage of the terrain. The pool continuously ripples water over the lip of its black tiles in a disappearing act into the landscape that is both soothing and sensational as the reflection of the water splashes against the surrounding surfaces of the Razor home.
A Modern Natural Marvel in La JollaThe Jewel of San Diego enjoys a plethora of enchanting views and mesmerizing features. The Razor house of La Jolla is among the top unique, scintillating sights in this area. The architecture, design, and attention to organic space rival most other modern structures and remains a highly esteemed landmark of La Jolla now and for many years to come.
Razor House Calvin Klein Commercial
The property was famously used in this commercial for Calvin Klein Collection with the tagline, “Modern Elegance, Timeless Luxury”:
Razor House Visa Black Card Commercial
The Razor House was also used in the famous Donna Feldman Visa Black Card commercial, with AC/DC’s “Back in Black” playing in the background:
Alicia Keys buys the futuristic Razor House – 'America’s coolest home' – and an architectural masterpiece
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(Image credit: Gary Kasl)
Grammy award-winning singer Alicia Keys has paid $20.8 million for 'Razor House,' a strikingly modern landmark in the wealthy Southern California town of La Jolla.
This sleek and spacious 10,653-square-foot mansion is said to be the inspiration behind Tony Stark’s Malibu lair in the Iron Man film franchise, in addition to a starring role in Visa Black Card and Calvin Klein television commercials.
Take a tour below – and when you're done, hop on over to our page dedicated to the world's best homes for more.
(Image credit: Gary Kasl)
Designed by Wallace E. Cunningham in La Jolla, California, it was originally on the market for $45 million, then at $30 million, reduced to $24.995 million, with Alicia Keys paying $20.8 million for the abode. The property took six years to construct.
(Image credit: Gary Kasl)
The closing price makes it the most expensive home in the exclusive La Jolla enclave to sell within the last few years.
(Image credit: Gary Kasl)
- See: Ellen DeGeneres's Montecito home is a masterclass in modern rustic design
(Image credit: Gary Kasl)
Built in 2007, the Razor House extends several stories below the original surface so that each roof forms a terrace to the adjacent upper floor.
Set across 10,240 square feet and three stories, the main residence features six bedrooms, two of which are masters with spectacular ocean views through end-to-end, floor-to-ceiling curved glass.
(Image credit: Gary Kasl)
The master-suite baths include showers and freestanding tubs as well as closets. The detached multi-level guest house has 1,301 square feet and includes two bedrooms and two baths, each having separate entry points on different levels.
Then there’s the two-story, all-glass sitting room connected by a curved floating staircase, along with a library, movie theater, fully-equipped gym, two steam rooms, roof-top spa and a built-in outdoor BBQ.
(Image credit: Gary Kasl)
For friends, family or, even, a caretaker, the home comes complete with a detached, triple-level, 1,300-square-foot guest house with two ensuite bedrooms, and its own separate entry
Josh Altman and Matt Altman of Douglas Elliman were the brokers for the sale.
(Image credit: Gary Kasl)
(Image credit: Gary Kasl)
Thanks to TopTenRealEstateDeals for allowing us to showcase this property.
Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.
Great Olympic moments. Boxing. De La Hoya 1992
How the Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya won the 1992 Barcelona Olympics
(Photo © 2019 Getty Images)Oscar De La Hoya is considered by many to be one of the brightest and most successful boxers of all time. And he himself calls the Olympic gold medal of the 1992 Games in Barcelona in the weight category up to 60 kg the most important achievement in his career. Oscar kept his promise to his dying mother, took revenge in the Olympic final on his abuser and became very popular in America, getting his famous nickname Golden Boy (Golden Boy).
Oscar rightfully acquired in his youth the reputation of a boxing prodigy. At the age of 16, in 1989, he won the prestigious Golden Gloves tournament in the bantamweight division, and a year later, 17-year-old De La Hoya became the US featherweight champion and winner of the Goodwill Games. In the same 1990, Oscar lost his mother - Cecilia De La Hoya died at the age of 39 from breast cancer.
Before her death, she wished her son to become an Olympic champion. And Oscar did everything to make his mother's dream come true. At 19In 1991, he became the US lightweight champion (up to 60 kg), but disappointment awaited him at the World Championships in Sydney - the young talent lost in the 1/8 finals to the future champion Marco Rudolf from Germany.
Failure at the World Cup did not unsettle De La Hoya, he qualified for the Olympics in Barcelona, approaching the tournament in the most collected state. As Oscar later said, he literally felt the presence of his mother next to him and was determined to give all his strength for the sake of gold. At the same time 19The 12-year-old boxer deliberately cut out all distractions during the Games, whether sightseeing or shopping, and remained focused on boxing around the clock. In the first fight, he defeated Brazilian Adilson Rosa Silva ahead of schedule, in the second he confidently defeated Moses Odion from Nigeria, and in the quarterfinals he defeated Toncho Tonchev from Bulgaria.
But the semifinal with Hong Sik from the Republic of Korea turned out to be equal and very difficult, ending in favor of the young American with a score of 11:10.
In the final against his offender at the 1991 World Cup, Rudolf, Oscar boxed with an injured finger, which did not prevent him from winning, knocking down the 22-year-old German in the third round. The final score is 7:2 in favor of De La Hoya. According to him, in the final he felt not only confidence, but also the fear of losing. However, he directed this fear in the right direction - he relied on instincts and showed himself to be a true fighter.
Already in November 1992, the Golden Boy had his first fight as a professional, for a long career he won 11 world titles in six different weight categories. However, above all these victories, he puts the Olympic gold of Barcelona. It was this moment that became for Oscar, according to him, the most special in his career, his highest boxing achievement.
Click and subscribe to the Olympics Telegram channel to be the first to know about your favorite athletes and major sporting events.
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Oscar De La Hoya was convicted of abuse and attempted sexual assault by a former employee of his Tequila brand
Oscar De La Hoya was charged in sexual assault, in a new lawsuit against the boxing legend and his tequila company.
Former Casa México employee accused De La Hoya of sexually abusing her twice in March 2020 during a visit to the brand's distillery in Mexico as part of an event organized by the company,
According to a civil lawsuit filed on Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court obtained by the Los Angeles Times and ESPN, a woman who was not identified by any of the media, informed Casa México executives of De La Hoya's actions, but the boxer was ultimately not punished for his actions.
A woman described by the Times as the chief executive of a tequila company said in a complaint that she was afraid to speak for fear of reprisals.
Sylvia Torres-Guillén, a women's lawyer, said in a statement to the Times that her client was "severely affected" by De La Hoya and the company's actions. "Being a victim of this violence, you want others to know that this behavior is unacceptable, no matter who you are," Torres-Guillen said. "We will seek justice on his behalf."
In his own statement to the Times, De La Hoya stated that was "confident that my legal team will resolve this matter and prove my innocence" in Case .
"With the 24-hour news cycle we all find ourselves in, most of the time, malicious and unfair allegations are interpreted as true without evidence to support his erroneous claims," said the former boxer.
A former Casa México employee reportedly claims that De La Hoya first attacked her on the first night of a trip to the brand's distillery in Mexico.
The lawsuit says the incident started when De La Hoya knocked on her hotel room door, only for her to find him there allegedly "with trousers to the ankles."
De La Hoya supposedly "then put his way into the room and crawled into his bed."
The second attack allegedly took place the day after De La Hoya failed to show up for a scheduled distillery tour. When visiting his room to wake him up, the woman says that De La Hoya "pushed her into his bed where he sexually abused her," according to the Times.
After returning to Los Angeles, the woman allegedly visited De La Hoya's home after a company party held at a nearby restaurant. The woman reportedly claims that De La Hoya "discovered and retrieved a sex object from a collection kept in her home" while they were alone, before "forcibly inserting the sex object into her body."
“Casa México officers and associates, almost exclusively male, including Michael A.
Gooch, Robert Crossan, and Oscar de la Hoya, create a work environment that has led to a tragic, humiliating, physically and emotionally damaging experience in both personal , and professionally," - says in the lawsuit.
Torres-Guillén told the Times the lawsuit was filed "to hold accountable (De La Hoya) and those who perpetuate toxic masculinity and a hostile work environment where their abuses were not only tolerated but encouraged and tolerated by Casa México executives Michael Gooch and Robert Crossan.
An unidentified woman also accuses a retired boxer and his tequila company of gender discrimination, wrongful termination and negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
De La Hoya was previously accused of sexual assault. In 1998, the former athlete settled a lawsuit filed by an 18-year-old woman seeking $10 million in damages alleging that De La Hoya raped and imprisoned her in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, according to the Times and USA Today.
