Club James
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| Club James nightlub Photo: Joe Fletcher |
Architectoid · Sheats-Goldstein Residence · Beverly Hills
Club James
Evolution of the Sheats-Goldstein Estate · Lautner · Nicholson · Conner & Perry
In 1972, James Goldstein purchased the Sheats-Goldstein Residence, a masterwork of organic architecture designed by John Lautner in 1963. Captivated by the panoramic views of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, Goldstein became a dedicated steward of the property—and an active collaborator with Lautner himself. He eventually acquired the adjacent lot to realize a long-held ambition: an expansion that would transform the estate into a world-class entertainment destination.
The Vision: Club James
Everything on the Goldstein Estate beyond the original Sheats-Goldstein Residence is known as Club James—James Goldstein's club. At over 10,000 square feet, it is a full entertainment complex conceived in the organic architecture tradition: a rooftop infinity tennis court, home offices, a recreation room with fully equipped bar and dance facilities, a dining terrace, a lap pool and spa, and a theater. The complex's angular volumes of board-formed concrete, stainless steel, and frameless glass are unmistakably in dialogue with Lautner's original house, adapted to entirely new functions.
Lautner and Goldstein developed the initial concept together—a tennis court, guesthouse, and office—but Lautner passed away in 1994 before the designs could be fully realized. His original schematic can still be seen in the wood and cardboard model that hangs in the house today.
The Nicholson Era
Following Lautner's passing, the project was entrusted to Duncan Nicholson, a former associate of Lautner's. Nicholson brought the master plan to fruition, developing the entertainment complex beneath and around the infinity tennis court and expanding the program to include a private nightclub, library, offices, and outdoor dining terrace. During this period Nicholson also completed the Above Horizon Skyspace—a collaboration between Goldstein and artist James Turrell, realized in 2004 as a separate art installation on the estate.
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| Club James office looking onto lower terrace. Photo: Joe Fletcher |
The Conner + Perry Era
In 2015, following Nicholson's passing, the baton was passed to his protégés, Kristopher Conner and James Perry of Conner + Perry Architects. The firm has served as architects of record ever since, continuing to develop and refine Club James while also overseeing maintenance and restoration of the original Sheats-Goldstein Residence.
The most recently completed phase—the outdoor terrace—was finished in 2023 and includes an infinity lap pool, spa, catering kitchen, bar, locker room, and dining facilities, all executed in poured-in-place concrete with frameless glass guardrails and custom stainless steel details. Conner + Perry collaborated with structural engineer Andrew Nasser of Omnispan Corp., landscape designer Eric Nagelmann, and lighting designer Stephen Lieberman of SJ Lighting.
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| Club James stair into garden. Photo: Joe Fletcher |
"We look at our new designs as an evolution of his language. We're dealing with the same geometry and materiality, but we're adapting it to new functions or conditions."
— Kristopher Conner
The new structures are treated as an evolution of Lautner's visual language—the same angular geometries and material palette, adapted to new purposes. Board-formed concrete, pebble-finished slabs, frameless glass, and stainless steel tie the complex to the original house, while the silvered leather and cool blue granite of the club spaces replace the domestic warmth of the residence.
A Legacy for Los Angeles
The story of Club James is far from over. Forthcoming phases include a theater, a reception building, and a guesthouse to complete the estate. In a historic act of architectural preservation, Goldstein has bequeathed the entire estate—along with his fashion and art collections—to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), ensuring that the collaborative work of Lautner, Nicholson, and Conner + Perry will be preserved and shared with the public for generations to come.
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Architectoid · Sheats-Goldstein Residence Series · Lautner · Nicholson · Conner & Perry
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