- Palm Springs Modern real estate office. There are folks who actively seek to purchase mid-century modern homes in Palm Springs.
Upon my first visit to Palm Springs several years ago I was overwhelmed by the amount of midcentury modern architecture. I am not talking about a city with a handful of iconic structures, but a whole community that embraced a modern style starting in the 1940’s. It also helped that during the ’50’ and ’60’s Palm Springs was the winter playground for celebrities and wealthy people. Many famous people had their winter homes designed with modern themes of the day.
But what truly caught my eye was how the whole modern architectural concept spilled over and was embraced by small commercial buildings, municipal offices, apartments, condominiums and suburban tract houses.Virtually everywhere you look you will see a nod to midcentury modern design concepts.
There are entire books devoted to Palm Springs modern (Palm Springs Weeked, The Architecture and Design of a Midcentury Oasis, Alan Hess and Andrew Danish Chroniclebooks.com, 2001 is excellent), the architects, developers and folks who commissioned the buildings. These are pictures I snapped as I travelled to various hiking destinations. My interest lies more heavily with midcentury design as it was applied to the mass market of everyday people and families. It is one thing to admire the design elements of the fabulous estate, it is another to live in and own a property that strongly echoes those architectural lines you love.
**These pictures were taken a week before Christmas so some of the outdoor decorations are kind of funky. Most of the pictures were taken at street level with a cheap Nikon camera. There maybe too much street asphalt in the photos, but it gives you a better since of how the homes are situated. There are other architectural styles prominent in Palm Springs, most notably original spanish and Tiki themed hotels. Both are neat to see. The magazine Atomic Ranch is also a good source of midcentury modern ranch homes throughout the United States. There is also a map of modern Palm Srings buildings at the Palm Springs visitors center as you enter town.
Park Imperial South Condominius, 1960, Barry Berkus, below Southridge developed where the Bob Hope is located
Araby Trail Marker, even the public signs incorporate mid-century design. In this case it pays homage to the Palmer and Krisel butterfly roof design for the Alexander Company, developer of suburban tract homes.
Opaque glass screen, an updated method to create privacy and intimacy for a home that faces the street.
Cantilevered entry roof, not sure if this was orginial design or addition, but it looks great.
Smoked glass screen, similar to the opaque glass but it blends in better with the overall colors of the house.
Screened entry gates, on the side of the smoked glass privacy screen, provides a feeling of openess in the courtyard.
Copper entry doors, provides nice contrast to the desert color pallete of the yard and house.
Cultured stone wall, this faux rock was popular in the 1960's. Some people have painted over the rock color in an attempt to eliminate the 'dated' look. I say embrace it. If the home was a good design the stone wall only adds to the house.
Open concrete screen design, in addition to privacy, the screens were another attempt to blunt the desert sun. They have become an effective design element that adds character.
Clerestory windows, allow light to flood the living space while providing privacy from the street.
Modern Condominiums, a new development in Palm Springs, affordable modern design.
New Modern Condominiums, two story off of S. Palm Canyon Rd.
Elmers Restaurant, a favorite with locals, it seems to have incorporated a little bit of the southwest design with mid-century concepts. And the food is pretty good too.
Remodeled home, has had the car port enclosed to expand space. They did a nice job of incorporating mid-century design into the remodel.
Split level roof with open courtyard, notice the exposed beams for the post and beam design. Also note the entirely out of place street lamp and mail box.
Country Club entry, at the south of Palm Springs. The open triangular beams with palms inside are too cool.
Post and Beam double wide, is similar to the Carter Black designed Streng Brothers homes in the Sacramento area.
Classic butterfly roof as designed by Palmer and Krisel for the Alexander Company. Looks like the windows have been updated with smoked glass.
Two tiered roof line, I am not entirely certain if the floating roof is purely design or if it has function.
Garage Clerestory windows, instead of having a solid rock wall facing the street the architect included clerestory windows on the street side.
Peaked roofed condominiums, older condominium complex sportind a post and beam design with peaked roof line.
Tahquitz Canyon Visitors Center, modern design fits well into the desert landscape.
Kaufmann House, designed by Richard Neutra in 1947. Edgar Kaufmann, Sr., wealthy owner of Kaufmann's department stores, also owned the Frank Lloyd Wright designed home of Falling Water in Pennsylvania.
Flying wedge roof line, not sure who designed it or when (1950's). Either way, you have to appreciate the integration of the extended deck, the play of the roof line and angled rock wall.
New condominiums in Palm Springs
Cinder block fence, in most places they would be imposing ugly structures. In the desert with a some pastel paint to highlight the design, it works.
Butterfly with carport, helps protect cars for the sun without adding a boxy component to the house. Note the open doorway next to carport.
City National Bank, B of A, 1959, Victor Gruen & Associates, Rudi Baumfeld architect.
Del Marcos Hotel, 1947, William F. Cody. Midcentury modern tour group visiting the hotel.
Imprinted wall on this furniture store echoes the pattern of cinder block screens with pencil roof supports.
Coachella Savings and Loan Building, 1960, by E. Stuart Williams.
Sand stone like roof on a restaurant resembles some of rock outcroppings in the surrounding area. Not sure who designed it, but it reminds me of John Lautner's work and the Bob Hope house.
Tramway gas station now the Palm Springs visitors center. Built in 1963, designed by Albert Frey, is famous for the hyperbolic paraboloid roof with twisted planes. Originally a gas station on the entrance road to the aerial tram that takes you to the top of San Jacinto Mountain.
Commercial building with metal screens on the second floor of the office building.
Structured office entryway, now a danger to larger vehicles and trucks, helps unify and connect the different parts of the complex using verticle and horizontal lines.
Flying V roof, started by Albert Frey on the gas station, shows up in many different designs throughout Palm Springs.
Screen and brick entry way to this newer condominium complex.
Interior cactus in a courtyard of a new commercial building. While not special to Palm Springs, it provides a nice element of the outdoors being shelterd by interior space.
Bob Hope House, designed by John Lautner in 1979, from on top of a ridge, Araby trail. It has elements of the restaurant picture with the extended wave roof line. The roof is all metal. Notice the open circular hole in the middle for courtyard below. If you dare the hike, be prepared. It is a steep climb on a public trail.
Bob Hope house side view give me the feeling of the Hollywood Bowl.
Southridge modern homes, are others on the same street as the Bob Hope house.