When music icon Quincy Jones died at age 91 in November, he left behind a one-of-a-kind legacy as well as a 25,000-square-foot Bel Air estate that he spent six years crafting to his liking in the early 2000s. Now, the stone-sided structureâbuilt in collaboration with architect Gerald Allison, FAIAâis coming to the market for a hefty $60 million.
The 28-time Grammy winner commissioned the architect, a former high school classmate of his, after a stay at a South African hotel designed by Allison: the Palace of the Lost City. âMy father loved his home so much,â Rashida Jones, the actor and daughter of the late record producer, said in a press release. âHe created it from the ground up with his boundless imagination and the talent of his high school friend, legendary architect Jerry Allison. Our family has a lifetime worth of wonderful memories and meaning imbued in this home.â
Jones was inspired by design elements from around the globe in imagining the five-bedroom, 17-bathroom mansion. According to a 2008 Smithsonian magazine interview, Jones used an African mud hut as his source of inspiration for the window-lined central rotunda that hosts the primary living room, which comes complete with a library, a bar, and a terrace. Egyptian pyramids were Jonesâs muse while picking out travertine, alabaster, and limestone, of the home. Feng shui principles guided the dwellingâs layout, while worldly objects collected throughout Jonesâs iconic seven-decades-long career decorated the residence. âThe whole world is represented here, from Morocco to Nefertiti to the Tang dynasty,â he told Smithsonian. âGlobal gumbo, thatâs where it’s at.â
Other interior highlights include a double-height atrium, a wine-tasting room, a game lounge, a screening room, a gallery, a reception area, and a security office. The 2.3-acre promontory parcel boasts sprawling views of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Pacific Ocean, and the Los Angeles skyline. A tennis court, an infinity-edge pool, a cabana, and walking paths through the lawns round out the property.