Each February, architecture and design enthusiasts were once again treated to a mid-century modern feast for the senses at Palm Springs Modernism Week.  The week included tours, exhibits, lectures and displays.  Inspired by European modernist design principles but faced with the desert’s unique environment, the architects that built Palm Springs developed a distinctive style.  And, after WWII, when the population of Palm Springs grew exponentially, the city experienced a building boom, allowing these architects, and desert modernism, to flourish.

Note to reader: this post contains affiliate links, that at no cost to you, by clicking them, I may receive a small commission which helps pay to bring content.

The Swiss born architect Albert Frey designed a number of residences and buildings in the desert area, several of them on the official modernism week tour. I stumbled upon one of his buildings, however, 45 miles from the center of Palm Springs and 236 feet below sea level where the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake, lies.

The sea is no longer swimmable due to pollution and high salinity but back in the 50’s it was a sun-lovers’ paradise. Cars backed up Highway 111 for miles with vacationers in search of beach time. And here, Albert Frey designed the very hip and very maritime “North Shore Beach and Yacht Club”, with its shiny metal façade, porthole windows and bright nautical flags. In 2010, the building was rehabilitated and converted to the Salton Sea History Museum and is currently the site of several Desert X 2019 art installation exhibits (stay tuned for my post on Desert X 2019).

Meanwhile, back in Palm Springs, Mr. Frey designed a number of iconic homes and buildings, such as the 1965 Tramway gas station which sits at the north end of Palm Springs on Highway 111. Now the Palm Springs Visitor’s Center, its stunning hyperbolic paraboloid shaped roof excitedly jets up and out over the structure, welcoming visitors arriving from the North end of town.

Equally impressive are the works by E. Stewart Williams, including the 1961 Coachella Valley Savings and Loan building #2 and the 1947 Frank Sinatra estate, “Twin Palms”.  In the Coachella Valley Savings and Loan building #2, the flat roof sits atop a simple cube, the overhang shading its inhabitants from the desert heat, while swooping white columns nod to Niemeyer’s Brasilia.  Meanwhile, Mr. Sinatra’s former vacation home is a vision of clean lines and axiality, so common to desert modernism. (The estate of Twin Palms, is available to book for vacations, weddings and events, film and photography shoots, dinner parties, and private tours.) 

Another worthy stop on the tour was the Kaufmann Desert House, designed by architect Richard Neutra in 1946.  A famous example of the international style, impressive sliding glass walls connect living areas to outdoor space, paving the way for many mid-century designers to connect indoor/outdoor living and define desert modernism.

Finally, one of my favorite exhibits isn’t native to the desert: it is the exact replica of American Architect Paul Rudolph’s Walker Guest House. The original is still in Sanibel Island, Florida and the exact replica is now on view near the Palm Springs Art Museum. (When you see the bar-coded babies, you will know you are there). If you haven’t read my blog post about the Walker Guest House, read it here.

Looking for more info on desert modernism? Here are my top recommendations for books on Palm Springs modernism:

Palm Springs: A Modernist Paradise, by Rizzoli Hardcover, February 6, 2018

Palm Springs Holiday: A Vintage Tour from Palm Springs to the Salton Sea, by Peter Moruzzi, Hardcover, September 1, 2009

Palm Springs Modern: Houses in the California Desert (Rizzoli Classics) Hardcover, February 17, 2015

Julius Shulman: Palm Springs, by Rizzoli, Hardcover, February 12, 2008

Modernism Week 2020 will be February 13-23, 2020. Tickets go on sale November 1, 2019.

[ctct form=”673″]