This $40M Beach House Might Be The Most Spectacular Mansion On The Market 

By Martha Davies

2 weeks ago

It was designed by renowned architect John Portman


If Georgian townhouses and historic country homes aren’t quite your style, this modernist masterpiece just might stop you in your tracks. Check out architect John Portman’s futuristic beach house, which you’ll find on the ultra-exclusive region of Sea Island in Georgia.

Entelechy II: John Portman’s Georgia Home Is Up For Sale

Modernist house with walkway, semicircular glass-walled library and grid roof

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Ever wondered what an architect’s house looks like? Well, in the case of renowned American architect and property developer John Portman, it looks like a 12,500 square-foot, $40 million beachfront estate on Sea Island, a members-only enclave on the southeastern coast of Georgia.

Outdoor pool with modern art sculptures and white sun loungers

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Built in 1986, the property served as Portman’s personal residence for more than 30 years. It was designed to exemplify the concept of entelechy – the realisation of potential – and it’s now one of the most iconic modernist buildings in the US. 

DIning room with terracotta floors, brown leather chairs and a tiered ceiling

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Nestled within a 2.8-acre oceanfront plot, the home brings together swathes of glass, white stucco and greenery, balancing strict geometric forms with a dazzling sense of playfulness. It’s all unbelievably grand, too: you’ll spot sculptures, breathtaking water features, and vines spilling from terraces and roofs.

Living room with semicircular fireplace, grid roof and brown leather sofas

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Perhaps the most spectacular component is a walkway suspended between two towering pavilions – though you’ll likely also be blown away by the huge formal dining room, the glass-walled library, and the outdoor swimming pool, which is itself a work of art.

Indoor walkway with water feature and potted plants

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The question, then, is not just what an architect’s house looks like, but what it might feel like to live there. If you’ve got $40 million to hand, you might just get to find out.

Exterior of modernist home with curved staircase, grid roof and large windows

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John Portman’s Entelechy II is available via Chase Mizell of Atlanta Fine Homes & Sotheby’s International Realty, and Susan Imhoff and Ann Harrell of DeLoach Sotheby’s International Realty. For more information, visit sothebysrealty.com