Opendoor‘s mission statement is “to empower everyone with the freedom to move.” And it’s probably a good guess that Eric Wu — the CEO and cofounder of that $5 billion real estate tech startup — was feeling plenty empowered when he recently paid about $32.3 million for the Orum Residence, an all-glass Los Angeles mansion. Soaring high in the Bel Air hills, the boldly styled home slices through the clouds like a three-pronged scythe.
The off-market deal closed last week, though the house had previously been on the market for years and was consequently photographed and videotaped for numerous publications. (Last year, Beyoncé and Jay-Z filmed an advertisement for Tiffany & Co. onsite.) With nearly 19,000 square feet, the huge and hugely idiosyncratic structure was designed by Zoltan Pali, the noted Los Angeles architect best known for his avant-garde buildings.
And the Bel Air home is no exception to Pali’s list of dynamic works. From certain angles it resembles a giant glass airplane propeller, with three distinct wings jutting out from a single central node. Occupants enjoy panoramic views dancing across the L.A. skyline, from the downtown high-rises to the Getty Center.
Despite its architectural pedigree and abundance of style, the mansion struggled to attract a buyer. Completed in 2018, it languished on the market for well over three years, and the initial price tag slid from a lofty $56 million down to $42 million. The final sale price represents a nearly 43% discount off the original ask.
Built on speculation by Thai heiress and real estate developer Dang Bodiratnangkura, the wife of Olympic figure skating champion Evan Lysacek, the 9-bed, 15-bath structure itself took four years to complete. Records show originally paid $6.1 million for the property in 2014, and demolished the existing home. It reportedly took more than a year to secure permits for the aggressively contemporary new construction.
But inside, the home’s decor is far…