Lautner built more than 100 private houses during his career. They all were experimental and representative of his creativity and innovative spirit. Some of these houses include the Carling House (1947), the Foster House (1950) and the Malin House also known as Chemosphere (1960). John Lautner also designed the Sheats/Goldstein House (1963) in Los Angeles, Califorma, as well as the Stevens House (1968) in Malibu Bay Colony, California.

When entering the main space, with its 60ft in diameter, the clear-span roof opens to the sky above, with light penetrating the space through the angled sun protectors of the roof. The chamfers to the edges of these openings accentuate the thickness of the concrete shell, beautifully made by an old contractor of Frank Lloyd Wright’s, Wally Niewiadomski. This room eminates a feeling of lift off from an outer space projectile. The floors are cut down into the rock so that the bigger boulders are at roof height.

At night the black slate throws no reflection, and from the seating area on the circular carpet in the living room, the view of stars and lights in the valley, which twinkle in the reflection of the pool, must seem a special performance seen from a private island.