Check out this $3.6 million Malibu home with boulders coming through living room windows

Built in 1979, this Doug Rucker-designed Malibu estate carved one-inch grooves into existing boulders so this 3-bedroom home could exist in harmony.

• Built in 1979, the 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home was designed by mid-century architect Doug Rucker.
• Builders carved one-inch grooves into existing boulders so the house could sit on top of the rocks.
• In July, the home sold for $3.6 million to a couple described as "architectural enthusiasts."

Atop the hills of Malibu, a one-of-kind 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home completely redefines "indoor-outdoor living."

Built in 1979, the estate designed by mid-century architect Doug Rucker emulates the era's "raw look" that highlighted natural surroundings, explains listing agent Paul Grisanti.

But, original owner Herb Tannen had a particularly unique vision: build a home that lives in between the rocks.

"The challenge was to build into and around the rocks," Grisanti told Insider, as the home sits directly on a "nest" of boulders.

The result is surreal, breathtaking rooms with naturally formed boulders wrapped into the home.

Gristanti tells Insider that one-inch grooves were cut into the boulders, allowing builders to slide glass fixtures on top.

"I've seen other homes with big rocks inside them, but it is so apparent how difficult this was to achieve," he told told Insider.

The rocks essentially function "like any other piece of furniture," Grisanti said, requiring semi-regular dusting and vacuuming.

"A couple times of year, go over the surface with a brush attachment," he said. "If you're crazy about it, you could use a steam cleaner. But I don't think that's necessary."

Tannen, a prominent Hollywood agent, lived in the home for over 40 years before his recent death.

When listing the home, Grisanti said there were more than 60 showings.

But, the sellers would turn away anyone who mentioned tearing it down.

"It was apparent the home was worth saving," Grisanti said.

The home has sweeping views of the Santa Monica Bay and Catalina Island throughout.

The home will require considerable work, as it's been largely untouched since the 70s.

Grisanti explained the cedar exterior of the house was built without finish.

Over four decades, moisture has expanded and warped certain pieces.

The house includes a primary suite on the first floor.

With two additional bedrooms, a bathroom, and a sauna down a spiral staircase.

The original homeowner was a prolific painter in his spare time, Grisanti shared, and the home once housed over 400 canvases.

Outside, there is a serene, secluded viewing area of the coastline underneath a shaded awning.

In the end, the home received three offers that were "in the running," Grisanti said.

The new owners were not even the highest bid, he explained, but were "architectural enthusiasts" with the most "credibility" for taking on a preservation project like this.

Grisanti said the seller thought this couple would "do the best job of honoring his father's memory and his dream."