Steve Hermann

The Ultimate Car Collector's Crash Pad, Yours for a Cool $35 Million

Filed under: Estates, Luxury Cars & Autos, Architecture & Design

For a cool $35 million you can get the ultimate car collector's crash pad in Montecito, California, a modernist masterpiece designed to house a world-class collection of 35 cars – that's $1 million per car – in a stunning automotive art gallery. Walls and pillars lined in walnut give way to massive plate glass windows fronting on a sweeping terrace so that the car collection is integrated into life of the house. Of course you also get 15,000-square-feet of living space into the bargain. Designed by architect Steve Hermann and dubbed the Glass Pavilion in homage to the late Philip Johnson, it's set within a 3.5 acre estate of oak groves near to where Al Gore recently spent nearly $9 million on a Mediterranean-style mansion. Other famous neighbors include Oprah WInfrey, Steve Martin, Jeff Bridges and John Cleese. Massive structural steel beams allow for acres of glass that appear to be floating above the rolling lawns. The kitchens and baths are fitted out by famous names such as Varena, Poliform and Antonio Lupi. In each category the "best and most exciting products from around the world" were sourced to make the entire house, which took six years to compete, utterly flawless.

Gallery: Car Collector's Glass Pavilion