Eichler’s 70-year-old steel prototype home hits the market again
Joseph Eichler’s experimental steel residence, known as Eichler X-100, is for sale once more as it reaches its 70th year. Built in 1956 in San Mateo Highlands as a demonstration project, it was designed by A. Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmons to explore steel construction and modernist domestic ideas. The house attracted more than 150,000 visitors soon after opening and is now looking for a fifth owner following restoration.
Built in 1956 in San Mateo Highlands, the X-100 served as a showcase model. Joseph Eichler, known for wood-framed family homes, wanted to test whether steel could transform house building. Architects A. Quincy Jones and Frederick Emmons used exposed steel, broad glazing, courtyards, skylights, built-ins, and fluid indoor-outdoor spaces.
The 2,310-square-foot plan has three bedrooms, two living areas, an open kitchen, and two central bathrooms. Two interior gardens and rear sliding glass doors frame Santa Cruz Mountain views. It first sold in 1957 for $47,000, later passed through three more owners, joined the National Register in 2016, and was restored in 2017.
The X-100’s resale could renew public interest in mid-century experimental housing and historic preservation. Preservationists, architects, and design enthusiasts may see it as a rare case study in steel residential construction and indoor-outdoor planning. For San Mateo Highlands residents, increased attention might bring cultural tourism or scrutiny, while a new owner could face pressure to maintain the restored fabric. Its fate may also shape how buyers and institutions value architecturally significant homes that are both private residences and documented landmarks.