When it comes to architecture, pedigree commands a high premium and location even more so. The Marshall House has both, designed by Richard Neutra in 1952 in San Diego’s affluent Rancho Santa Fe.

The low-stung midcentury modern dwelling sits on a three-acre parcel within the westside of The Covenant – a historic planned community developed in the 1920s by architect Lilian Rice and landmarked in 1989.

Neutra’s stone, stucco and timber design sits atop a hill to capture backcountry vistas and is among a handful of residences the architect designed in San Diego during the 1950s and 1960s.

A gated circular driveway gives access to the five-bedroom home, which spans 4,800 sq ft and was expanded from Neutra’s original footprint circa 1986. Interiors have also been updated, but respectfully: the brick fireplace with built-in shelving in the living room is original, with flashes of exposed stone throughout. Flooring is a mix of tiling, terrazzo and concrete, and the bathrooms and kitchen have also been modernised, the latter with new appliances.

Elsewhere, a home office has access to an enclosed patio (an idyllic place to work), a screening room, a heated swimming pool and outdoor terraces for sunbathing and dining.

Compass agent Jason Davis has the listing for the San Diego County property, which is asking $6.5m. That also gets gives the homeowner access to The Covenants’s amenities: an exclusive golf and tennis club, riding and saddle club and 45 miles of hiking and riding trails.

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