The Last Wallace Neff Bubble House in the United States Just Listed at $1,950,000

Wallace Neff was a starchitect who designed houses for Hollywood elites including Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland, and Groucho Marx. But he believed the humble Airform dome was one of his greatest achievements. The idea came to him while shaving when a soap bubble held firm against his finger and he thought: "Build with air." The result — a two-bedroom dome house at 1097 S. Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena, built in 1946 for his brother Andrew — is now listed at $1,950,000. It also comes with an Airform-constructed bomb shelter 15 feet underground. The Reddit thread immediately debated whether it is truly the last of its kind.

The Architecture — and the Claim

Neff's Airform houses were built between 1942 and 1952 by molding gunite — a concrete composite commonly used for swimming pools — around a giant inflated balloon that was later deflated, resulting in a round house. Despite plans for over 400,000 Airform buildings, a mere 2,500 were built. A few dozen were built across the US, and thousands more in other countries — but eventually everyone in the United States moved out of their bubbles and they were demolished. Except for one, in Pasadena. The Reddit thread correctly noted that other dome-building technologies still exist today and that Guam has surviving examples — but the listing's claim is specific to Neff's proprietary Airform construction system, and on that narrower point, the Los Angeles Conservancy, Atlas Obscura, and KCRW all agree: this is the last one. The building was featured on the cover of the Los Angeles Times Home Magazine in 1947 and was controversial among neighbors who felt the elliptical structure did not fit the largely Period Revival neighborhood. It is still there. The neighborhood has adjusted.

What's for Sale

The 1,204-square-foot dome sits on a 9,000-square-foot corner lot in Pasadena's Oak Knoll neighborhood. A circular half living room radiates from a central fireplace — Neff literally centered the house around the hearth, recalling Frank Lloyd Wright. The monolithic concrete shell has been carefully restored by its current owners. The interior is surprisingly light and airy despite the thick walls, which keep the space cool during hot Pasadena summers. The curved sectional couch included in the staging was Neff's own, subsequently covered in red wool vintage upholstery. The detached studio with submitted ADU plans adds over 1,000 square feet and a separate bedroom, with the bomb shelter — constructed using the same Airform method — buried approximately 15 feet below. The property is a potential Mills Act candidate, which could provide significant property tax relief. The most recent owner, Steve Roden, passed away in 2023, and his widow has decided to sell — using the same agent who sold them the house in the first place. The listing accepts cash only.

The Internet Has Thoughts

Naturally, this listing caught the attention of Reddit's r/zillowgonewild community. See what people are saying about it here.

A soap bubble inspired it. A Hollywood starchitect built it. A bomb shelter is buried 15 feet below. The last of its kind. View the full listing here.