Draft:Max Nobel
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Max Nobel (also styled Max Nobél) is a Los Angeles-based real estate developer and designer. He is the founder of NOBÉL LA, also referred to as Nobel Architecture and Interior Design, a boutique real estate development and interior design studio in Los Angeles.[1][2]
Among his specialties are the development of large estates in Southern California, where his estates have included properties in Hidden Hills, Beverly Hills, and the Hollywood Hills. The houses he has built have been sold to the public through the Los Angeles luxury real estate brokerages and have appeared in a number of architectural and real estate magazines.
Career
[edit]He started his career in property development and then opened a studio in Los Angeles, which he described as a combination of real estate, interior, and architectural design.[3]
In general, his work consists of new houses or extensive renovations of existing buildings. Apart from individual houses, he develops speculative properties intended for resale.[1]
His first widely reported house in Los Angeles, built by him in 2021, was in the Californian town of Hidden Hills. Ben Simmons, an NBA player, bought it that year for $17.5 million. Later it was put back on the market.[4][5]
The Hidden Hills property occupies roughly 1.5 acres, with a main house, guest house, and two pools. The exterior is dressed in dark brick and reclaimed wood. The living areas have exposed beams and oversized openings that connect the interior to the surroundings.[4][6]
In 2021, he became involved in the redevelopment of the longtime Beverly Hills residence of Gene Simmons, the musician from the group KISS. For $16 million, an associated company of his bought the place in Benedict Canyon.[2][7]
Upon acquiring the property, Nobel undertook a complete renovation and expansion of the estate. Approximately 3,000 square feet were added, increasing its total size to about 16,390 square feet; there were seven bedrooms and eleven bathrooms.[8][2]
In the year 2023, the renovated property was relisted at a price of $48 million, and then lowered by successive reductions to $39 million, $34 million, and $33 million.[8]
The Benedict Canyon deal attracted further public attention when it appeared in the fifteenth season of the Bravo real estate program Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles. The broker who handled the deal, Josh Altman, said he'd been doing business with Nobel for about ten years.[1]
In the end, the property was sold in 2025 for $28 million.[2]
NOBÉL LA
[edit]NOBÉL LA is a design and development studio based in Los Angeles. It has also been known as Nobel Development Group.[7]
The work of the studio includes interior design, residential development, conceptual architectural design, and commercial interiors.[9]
The company worked on both properties developed by Nobel and on projects for outside clients. It has built new houses, as well as carried out extensive renovations of existing houses.
NOBÉL LA has especially become renowned for large Los Angeles-area homes in which the materials and forms, inspired by European architectural heritage, are combined with the enormous dimensions typical of contemporary luxury houses in Southern California.
Nobel has described a preference for natural materials like wood, stone, marble, and metal over predominantly white minimalist interiors.[3]
Several of the projects that this studio has carried out have been characterized by high ceilings, abundant glazed surfaces, and large open spaces. Often the kitchen and family room are designed as central open spaces, rather than as separate rooms.[3]
Selected projects
[edit]Hidden Hills residence
[edit]A residence at Bridle Trail Road in Hidden Hills was designed and developed by Nobel and completed in 2021.[4]
The property covers approximately 1.4 to 1.5 acres and contains a roughly 12,000-square-foot residence, a detached guest house, and outdoor recreational areas.[4]
Its architecture has been described as modern farmhouse in style, with a dark exterior, reclaimed wood siding, and large windows.[4][6]
NBA player Ben Simmons purchased the property in 2021 for $17.5 million. It was subsequently marketed for sale again, with an asking price reported at approximately $20 million.[4][5]
2650 Benedict Canyon Drive
[edit]In September 2021, Nobel purchased the former residence of KISS co-founder Gene Simmons on Benedict Canyon Drive for $16 million.[7][2]
Simmons had owned the property for several decades. After the acquisition, Nobel and Forbix Capital undertook an extensive renovation.
The renovation added approximately 3,000 square feet to the existing structure and changed the architectural appearance of the property to what listings and real estate publications described as a modern barnhouse.[8]
The finished three-story residence measured approximately 16,390 square feet. Features reported in real estate coverage included two primary bedroom suites, double-height windows, an open-plan main living area, and a detached garage designed to accommodate a large vehicle collection.[8]
The property's exterior was rebuilt with vertically installed wood cladding, pitched roofs, and industrial-style architectural details.
The house was first offered for sale at $48 million in 2023, but the price was gradually reduced, and was eventually lowered to $33 million.[8]
During season 15 of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles, the house was presented by the agent, Josh Altman.[1]
In July 2025, it sold for $28 million.[2]
Saint Ives
[edit]Nobel also designed a residence known as Saint Ives in the Hollywood Hills above Los Angeles's Sunset Strip.
The project began as a residence intended for Nobel himself. According to coverage of the property, an existing house of approximately 2,000 square feet was substantially expanded and reconstructed.
The resulting residence measures approximately 14,000 square feet and occupies about one acre. It contains five bedrooms and nine bathrooms and includes multiple levels built into the hillside.
The house incorporates large areas of glazing, marble and brass detailing, custom furniture, and an underground garage.
By 2024, Nobel had decided to market the property rather than occupy it, with an off-market asking price of approximately $45 million.
The house was subsequently featured in a property tour by real estate media personality Enes Yilmazer.
In 2026, the Saint Ives project received design recognition in several international awards programs, including a Platinum distinction in the International Excellence Awards and recognition in the MUSE Design Awards.
Design approach
[edit]Nobel's work has frequently been described as combining elements of contemporary Los Angeles architecture with European influences.[3]
Several of his better-known residential projects differ stylistically from the flat-roofed minimalist houses commonly associated with recent Los Angeles luxury development. The Benedict Canyon residence, for example, uses pitched roofs, vertical wood siding, and industrial details to create what was marketed as a modern interpretation of a barn house.[2]
Nobel has said that he prefers interiors that rely on natural materials and visible texture. Wood, marble, brass, and stone recur in several NOBÉL LA projects.[3]
Art has also been incorporated into the interiors of some of his residences. The Benedict Canyon house, for example, was staged with contemporary artwork as part of its overall interior design.
Nobel has also emphasized the relationship between kitchens, family rooms, and other shared living spaces. In interviews about his residential work, he has described these areas as particularly important in determining how a house is used.[3]
Media appearances
[edit]Nobel appeared in connection with the Benedict Canyon property on season 15 of Bravo's Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles.[1]
The episode followed Josh Altman's effort to market the estate, which was initially priced at $48 million. During the program, Altman identified Nobel as a developer and the owner of the NOBÉL design-and-build business.[1]
Nobel and several of his properties have also appeared in online architectural and luxury real estate tours, including videos produced by Enes Yilmazer.
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Josh Altman Reveals There's a "Lot at Stake" with His $48M Listing". Bravo TV. Retrieved September 30, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Gene Simmons' former Benedict Canyon pad sells for $28M". The Real Deal. July 21, 2025. Retrieved September 30, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Nobél LA – Club 1683 Member". Gaggenau. Retrieved September 30, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Ben Simmons buys mansion in Los Angeles' Hidden Hills". PhillyVoice. Retrieved September 30, 2026.
- 1 2 "Ben Simmons reportedly lists lavish L.A. mansion for sale at $23 million". PhillyVoice. May 27, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2026.
- 1 2 "NBA's Ben Simmons Wants to Flip $23 Million Hidden Hills Mansion". Sportico. Retrieved September 30, 2026 – via Yahoo News.
- 1 2 3 "Gene Simmons Sells Beverly Hills Mansion For $16 Million". TMZ. September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Gene Simmons' former Beverly Hills mansion gets another price cut". Elite Agent. Retrieved September 30, 2026.
- ↑ "NOBÉL – Interior Design & Architecture Studio". NOBÉL LA. Retrieved September 30, 2026.
Category:American interior designers Category:American real estate businesspeople Category:Ukrainian emigrants to the United States Category:Businesspeople from Los Angeles