In a lawsuit now unfolding over Kanye West’s former Malibu home designed by Tadao Ando, testimony and lawyer statements are shedding light on what West allegedly wanted after purchasing the property for $57.3 million, gutting it, and later putting it back on the market.
What West is claimed to have wanted
According to attorney Ron Zambrano (representing Tony Saxon), West sought to transform the high-end beachfront residence into an extreme, off-grid-style “shelter,” allegedly requesting:
- No windows
- No electricity
- No plumbing—including, most notably, “no toilets”
Zambrano claimed West’s approach to bathroom needs was purportedly “a hole in the ground,” underscoring how far the redesign concept would depart from conventional residential standards.
Who Tony Saxon is and what he alleges
Tony Saxon—a rare-record dealer who was not a licensed contractor, per the article—says West hired him to gut the house and also to live on-site, staying overnight to watch for break-ins. Saxon’s 2023 lawsuit seeks back pay and damages, and it includes claims that he suffered serious injuries on the job, including a broken neck.
West’s response in court
West’s attorney, Andrew Cherkasky, challenged Saxon’s version of events. According to trial coverage cited in the reporting, Cherkasky argued Saxon pushed to sleep at the property to finish work before he was “busted for being unlicensed,” and disputed other claims about West’s plans. Cherkasky also characterized West’s goal as closer to an experience like “beach camping” for his family and asserted that Saxon “destroyed the Ando house.”
Why the dispute matters beyond the celebrity angle
The case highlights how quickly a major remodel can become legally and financially risky when scope, permitting, and licensing are unclear—especially when the requested changes (like removing plumbing and power) effectively shift a project from renovation into something more experimental.
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