In 2021, Kanye West bought Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando’s Malibu beach house after staying in the $295M Big Ando for four days without notice; now his 4,000-square-foot home faces uncertainty |
Journalist Jonathan Van Meter’s book ‘Citizen Kim’ details a lot of events in Kim Kardashian’s life. This also includes the one time that her ex-husband, Kanye West, entered a renowned property and stayed there for four days to set up his office and have meetings. The property in question is the USD 295 million Malibu mansion that was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando.
About Kanye West’s four-day stay in Big Ando
According to the book, which was quoted by The New York Post, West stayed in the 42,000-square-foot Paradise Cove estate known colloquially as the “Big Ando” for around four days, and before his arrival at the residence, there had been no plans made for him to rent the space.The property had been designed over the course of 15 years for art collectors Maria and Bill Bell and had remained unlisted for years. It was only privately offered, though West bypassed all real estate agents, drove straight to the gate, and convinced the owner to let him inside by allegedly asking, “If Elvis Presley came to your door and rang your buzzer, would you let him in? This is that.” According to the book, West stayed there for four days, setting up an office next to the pool and hosting meetings to experience living and working inside an Ando-designed masterpiece.
Who bought the Big Ando house?
Ultimately, West never purchased the property and did not have any interest in doing so either. In 2023, celebrity couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé acquired the home off-market for $200 million, setting an all-time California residential record.Kanye West’s own Tadao Ando home and its uncertain fateDespite the fact that the singer did not purchase the grand property, he still wanted to own a house that had been designed by the world-renowned architect. He purchased his Tadao Ando-designed home located in Malibu Beach in September 2021 for USD 57.25 million. The 4,000-square-foot beachfront home, which was often called the “Little Ando,” was originally commissioned by financier Richard Sachs.However, rather than staying in the property as is, West wanted to renovate the space and install his own bunker in the home. Around 2022-2023, the property was stripped to the core by contractors on West’s orders since he wished to build a minimalist bunker there. They were told to take out the windows, doors, interior walls, electrical systems, plumbing, and marble features, exposing raw concrete to ocean elements.The property was later abandoned, and around 2024 to 2025, West faced a lot of major financial loss because of the space. Amidst ongoing lawsuits, West listed the shell on the real estate market for USD 53 million. The property eventually sold for USD 21 million to developer Steven “Bo” Belmont.
Restoration efforts for Little Ando are underway
After Belmont bought the property, he started planning out a full renovation to restore the home to its original glory. He invested USD 8.5 million into the restoration effort, even going as far as hiring the original executive architects, Marmol Radziner. After facing listing changes, foreclosure complications, and refinancing delays, the property changed hands again via an all-cash buyer in mid-2026. This transfer of ownership, however, has not put a full stop to the restoration efforts.As of right now, the property remains under construction.DISCLAIMER: Figures presented in this article are derived from various public sources and are considered approximate unless explicitly noted. We may include direct input from celebrities or their teams when available. We are open to feedback on toientertainment@timesinternet.in.
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