Mid-Century Architecture Self-Guided Tour Wed, January 27, 2021 Art & Architecture Share: Learn more about Palm Springs Architecture on this Self-Guided Tour. Palm Springs has the largest concentration of preserved mid-century modern architecture in the world. Visionary architects came to Palm Springs and brought their own spin on Bauhaus and the International Style, reworking it for the desert environment. This is celebrated every year during Modernism Week. Let’s explore the architecture through the neighborhoods. What is Desert Modernism? Desert Modernism is a interpretation of the Modernist or International Style, tailored to suit the Palm Springs indoor/outdoor lifestyle. People flocked to Palm Springs for the stunning fall/winter weather and wanted to spend their time outdoors. Desert Modernism is recognizable by its minimalist clean lines and the seamless blur of indoor and outdoor space. Rooflines are often flat or butterfly-wing v-shapes. Floor plans were open with lots of windows and sliding glass doors that bring the outside in. Beautiful breeze blocks temper the desert heat. Wiliam Cody Richard Neutra – Austrian born, raised and trained, Neutra immigrated to the U.S. in 1923 where he worked with Frank Lloyd Wright before branching out on his own. Of the three homes Neutra designed in Palm Springs, his masterpiece is the residence he designed for Edgar Kaufmann in 1946. John Lautner – After training under Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West, Lautner moved to LA and focused on residential architecture. His combination of progressive engineering and dramatic space-age flair culminated in the Palm Springs homes for Arthur Elrod and Bob Hope. These homes are privatly owned and in a gated community, so they can not be viewed. Donald Wexler – Donald Wexler worked for Richard Neutra for a while in LA, then relocated to Palm Springs where he was employed by William Cody. Wexler partnered with Richard Harrison for a time. Together they designed many school buildings and the Steel Development Homes for Alexander Construction Company. Other notable designs include the Dinah Shore Residence, Spa Hotel Bath House (demolished) and Royal Hawaiian Estates. William “Bill” Krisel – Krisel studied architecture at the University of Southern California and also became a licensed landscape architect. There are 30,000 residences in Southern California that can be attributed to Krisel. As a personal friend of Bob Alexander, his name appears on many Alexander Construction Company developments. E. Stewart Williams – Williams studied at Cornell and University of Pennsylvania. Some of his notable Palm Springs designs include the Palm Springs Art Museum, Coachella Savings and Loan (now a Chase Bank), Palm Springs Aerial Tramway station and Frank Sinatra Estate. William Cody – Cody studied architecture at the University of Southern California before moving to Palm Springs in 1946. He designed the Del Marcos Hotel the following year and went on to work on several clubhouses and Country Club developments as well as projects outside Palm Springs. Among Cody’s celebrated designs are Abernathy House, Palm Springs Public Library and his contribution to the demolished Palm Springs Spa Hotel. Albert Frey – Frey is really considered the founder of the Palm Springs Modern movement. He worked in Paris for Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret before moving to the US in 1928. While working with A. Lawrence Kocher on the East Coast for some years, a project brought Frey to Palm Springs. In California, he worked with John Porter Clark. Buildings of note include Frey House I and II, and the Tramway Gas Station (now the Palm Springs Visitor Center). John Porter Clark – Clark studied architecture at Cornell and apprenticed with Garrett Van Pelt in Pasadena. He relocated to Palm Springs to find more work. In 1935, Clark met Albert Frey and partnered on eight projects. George and Robert Alexander (developer) – The Alexander Construction Company was founded by Robert Alexander financed by his father George. They specialized in residential developments, creating affordable housing estates. The prolific developers helped to double the size of Palm Springs. Their homes are known as the “Alexanders” though they enlisted William Krisel to provide much of the architecture. They also partnered with architects Charles Dubois and Donald Wexler. Hugh Kaptur – Kaptur studied architectural engineering. He relocated to Palm Springs in 1956 and apprenticed for Wexler and Harrison. Kaptur designed the Triangle Inn, Fire Station #3 (with Robert Ricciardi) and #4, the Musicland Hotel and houses for Steve McQueen and William Holden among others. Jack Meiselman (developer) – Jack was a builder who worked with the Alexander Construction Company for a time. After a falling out with the Alexanders, he teamed up with brother Bernie, buying up land close to Alexander plots and building a variation on his former partner’s design. The Meiselmans built approximately 350 homes in Palm Springs. A. Quincy Jones – Jones worked with a slew of modernist architects including Douglas Honnold, George Vernon Russell, Burton A. Schutt and Paul Williams. It was with Paul Williams he later partnered on several Palm Springs projects including Palm Springs Tennis Club (1947), the Town & Country Restaurant (1948), and Romanoff’s On the Rocks (1950 – demolished). Palm Springs Self-Guided Architecture Tour Begin at the Palm Springs Visitor Center – 2901 N Palm Canyon Drive Albert Frey designed Tramway Gas Station, now the Palm Springs Visitor Center There are a number of architecture books available at the Visitor Center as well as various gifts and information. There is also a printed Hollywood Star Home self-guided tour map for purchase to see where many of the Hollywood stars lived which helped make Palm Springs world famous. Head down San Raphael Drive across the street from the Visitor Center. Turn right on Indian Canyon Drive and left on E. Simms Road. Racquet Club Estates Next we head a short distance from the Palm Springs Visitor Center off Indian Canyon Dr. with the Alexander Steel Homes on N. Sunnyview Drive between Simms and E. Molina roads. Alexander Construction Company Steel Houses 290 Simms Rd 300 and 330 East Molino Rd 3100, 3125, 3133 and 3165 N Sunnyview Dr Designed in 1960 by Donald Wexler and Richard Harrison, these pre-fabricated, all-steel homes were to fill an entire neighborhood. However, after seven homes were built, rising steel prices made further homes in this style cost-prohibitive. All seven homes are now class one historic sites. Head South on Sunnyview Way toward Francis East Drive Kreisel designed homes 325 Francis East Dr 388 and 520 Desert Holly Circle 970 E Racquet Club Road 455 and 483 E Francis Dr (flamingo letterbox) A close personal friend of developer Bob Alexander and his family, Krisel came to the Desert at the request of Alexander to design a tract of modernist houses dubbed Smoke Tree Valley (now known as Twin Palms for the pair of Palm trees that graced each of the homes). Other Palmer & Krisel projects include the Ocotillo Lodge, Las Palmas Estates (Vista Las Palmas), Kings Point and Canyon View Estates, and Racquet Club Estates. The “House of Tomorrow,” conceived as an experiment in modern living, so impressed Alexander’s wife Helene that they made it their personal residence. The house later gained fame as the honeymoon home of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. Drive to Indian Canyon Drive, turn left and left again at Racquet Club. Hugh Kaptur designed Fire Station #3 – 590 E Racquet Club Rd Kaptur’s first own Palm Springs project was the Impala Lodge, now the Triangle Inn, in 1957-58. Other projects followed soon including the William Burgess Residence, the Pete Seva Residence and the Robert Leaver Residence (now demolished) all perched above Palisades Road on a rocky ledge with sweeping panoramic views of the valley floor. Partnering briefly with architect Robert Ricciardi in 1961, the firm completed Palm Springs Fire Station #3 and the Palm Springs Golf Course Clubhouse. Head back to Indian Canyon Drive and make a left. Chino Canyon/ Little Tuscany Estates Grace Lewis Miller House (Richard Neutra – 1937) – 2311 N. Indian Canyon Drive – Although a small home, it combined a dance studio for the owner. It is a good representation of Neutra’s use of simple, flat-roofed forms arranged and adapted to the sun, outdoor space, and the need for coolness and ventilation in the desert. He specialized in extending architectural space into a carefully arranged landscape. Head South on Indian Canyon and make a right on Vista China. Kaptur Court – 262-266 W Vista Chino Three iconic mid-century style single family homes by architect Hugh Kaptur. Turn right on N Via Norte and left on W Chino Canyon Road and head up the hill. If you stay left you will pass the home owned by Elvis Presley at 825 W Chino Canyon. Edris House (Stewart Williams – 1954) – 1030 W Celio Dr William and Marjorie Edris had lived in one of the Potter Clinic’s upstairs apartments at the same time as the Williams family in the late 1940s. The two couples became friends and in 1953 had hired Williams to build them a winter residence. The parcel chosen was located in the undeveloped upper reaches of the Tuscany Heights neighborhood in a boulder-strewn area. Taking full advantage of the unique location, Williams moved only those boulders necessary to place the house on a flat surface with the goal of integrating as much of the natural environment into the design as possible. Native rock was used for the prominent chimney, with the east end penetrating the floor-to-ceiling plate glass wall of the living room with breathtaking views of the Coachella Valley. Almost the entire pool is surrounded by boulders, several of which are just a foot away from the pool’s edge. Dr. Franz Alexander House (1965) – 1011 W. Cielo Dr Historic, original, and spectacular, this home is a midcentury modern dream. Designed by architect Walter S. White for psychoanalyst Dr. Franz Alexander, the Alexander House, as it’s known, appears to emerge from the site’s boulders and the rocky mountains behind it. The result is a structure that seamlessly integrates into its natural surroundings, enhancing views of the valley while creating numerous indoor-outdoor connections. The property offers includes a separate guesthouse, and incorporates local “lava rock” stonework, walls of glass, and redwood siding. Dramatic architectural elements like V-shaped steel supports, a swooping tongue-and-groove ceiling reaching toward the mountains, plus a double-height atrium—with an open-tread black steel staircase leading upstairs by Albert Frey—are but a few of the incredible details that bring the residence to life. Head back down to Vista Chino and make a right. Alexander-May House (Edward Fickett – 1951) – 424 W Vista Chino Rd Edward designed this home for his friend and colleague George Alexander, of The Alexander Construction Co., who later sold it to Tom May, of the May Department Stores. Kaufmann Desert House (Richard Neutra – 1946) – 470 W Vista Chino Rd Edgar Kaufmann hired Neutra to design a desert home for his family. A decade earlier, Frank Lloyd Wright had built Fallingwater for Mr. Kaufmann. But Kaufmann, having seen Taliesin West, thought that Wright didn’t understand desert design and chose Neutra instead. The home turned out so well, that when Wright saw it, he admitted to that is was beautiful (uncharacteristic of him). The building remains the most famous in Palm Springs in terms of international recognition. Go to the end to the road and turn left on N Via Monte Vista Vista Las Palmas and Old Las Palmas Swiss Misses (Charles DuBois) – 755 W Crescent Dr. Charles attended UCLA for a year and then transferred to MIT from 1922 – 1930. Traveling between coasts and working at different architectural firms, Charles passed the California and national exams in the 1930s and started his own firm in 1938. During WWII, when housing construction slowed, he worked as a Senior Set Designer for MGM. He is known for the few Swiss Miss Houses in Palm Springs featuring the A-frame entry. Examples include: 1133 Vista Vepero – 1958 1110 Abrigo Road – 1958 775 W Crescent Drive – 1958 700, 855 Via Las Palmas – 1959 1355 N Rose Ave – 1961 These homes were built in the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood, which was undergoing development by builder Joe Dunas and the Alexander Construction Company. There are 15 Swiss Miss Houses remaining today in Vista Las Palmas. Dinah Shore Estate – 432 Hermosa Place Leonardo DiCaprio acquired Dinah Shore’s Palm Springs Home for $5.2 Million in 2014. Designed by architect Donald Wexler for Dinah Shore in 1964, this legendary Palm Springs’ Old Las Palmas neighborhood tennis estate defines timeless mid-century modern architecture. Turn right on N. Mission Road, turn left on W. Merito Place, right on N Cahuilla, left on W. Alejo, right on N Belardo, then right on N Museum Way. There is a parking structure on the corner the back of Hyatt Palm Springs on your left. Downtown Palm Springs Palm Springs Art Museum (E. Stewart Williams 1976) – 101 N Museum Dr. Williams constructed the museum out of concrete mixed with Warmtone cement and several aggregates. Long expanses of concrete panels were hammered to expose the aggregate. For cladding, Williams sought a lightweight material with colors sympathetic to the adjacent mountainside. By the early 1980s, more space was needed to display the museum’s collection, so administrative functions were relocated to a new, separate structure just north of the original building. Named the Marks Administration Building, it was designed by Williams and completed in 1981. Front the front of the Art Museum, head south on N. Museum Drive, turn left on W. Tahquitz Way, then right on S. Palm Canyon Drive. Oasis Commercial Building (E Stewart Williams – 1951) – 121 S Palm Canyon Dr This is a Class 1 designation building by a modernist architectural E. Stewart Williams. Continue South on S. Palm Canyon to Baristo. The Architecture Museum is on on your left. Palm Springs Architecture and Design Center, Edward Harris Pavilian (E. Stewart Williams – 1961) – 300 S Palm Canyon Dr. The center is housed inside a classic midcentury International style building that Williams, a prominent figure of Desert Modern style, originally designed as a 1961 Sante Fe Federal Savings & Loan. Los Angeles-based firm Marmol Radziner restored the 13,000-square-foot modernist structure, which stands elevated above street level in glass and steel. Floor-to-ceiling windows that look over the cityscape and the San Jacinto Mountains frame its glass pavilion. The building’s main level features a gallery space for architecture and design exhibitions and curatorial offices. The lower level of the building serves as a study center and library. Head toward the mountains on Baristo. Del Marcos Hotel (William Cody – 1947) – 225 W Baristo Rd In 1945, Cody was retained to alter the Desert Inn, one of the first resorts in Palm Springs, his first commission in Palm Springs. In 1947 he completed the Del Marcos Hotel, his first independent commission, which was recognized by the AIA Southern California Chapter with an honorable mention. Drive back to S. Palm Canyon and turn right. Chase Bank ( E. Stewart Williams – 1953) – 499 S Palm Canyon Dr Originally the Coachella Valley Savings & Loan. Gary Cooper, noted motion picture star, was elected to the board of directors of the Coachella Valley Savings and Loan association at the annual meeting of stockholders held at the company headquarters in Palm Springs in 1953. The Five Hundred (Hugh Kaptur – 1955) – 500 S Palm Canyon Dr This was originally owned by actor Allan Ladd. His son, Alan Ladd Jr., would become President of 20th Century Fox. His other son, David, would be an actor, producer, and husband of the actress Caryl Ladd, best known for her role in Charlie’s Angles. Musicland Hotel (Hugh Kaptur – 1967) – 1342 S Palm Canyon Dr An earlier project similar in architectural style to Tahquitz Plaza (now Kaptur Plaza) is what was th Casa Blanca Motor Hotel, today called the Musicland Hotel. One of the more notable features of the building is the prominent sculptural “eyebrow” around the street-facing second-story window. Continue South The Mesa/Canyon Corridor/Twin Palms Estates Royal Hawaiian Estates (Donald Wexler – 1961-1962) – 1774 S Palm Canyon Dr Wexler and Richard Harrison combined modernist ideas with Polynesian themes when they designed the Royal Hawaiian Estates condominium complex when tiki architecture was in fashion. The complex has 12 buildings with 40 condominium units on five acres. Drive South on S. Palm Canyon and turn right on W Camino Carmelita, turn left onto Ave Moraga and property will be on your right. Ship of the Desert – 1995 Cam Monte he Davidson family had been visiting Palm Springs in the winter from the east coast and decided to build a home in the Mesa. They hired architectural firm Earle Webster & Adrian Wilson to design their winter home. Prior to 1936, architecture in the resort town was exclusively Spanish Mission Revival. They decided to do something completely different and designed the home in a style known at Streamline Moderne which represents a design reflecting imagery of automobiles, steamships, and airplanes. “Ship of the Desert” was built in 1936 (1995 S. Camino Monte). It was featured on the cover of Sunset Magazine in 1937. In 1998, fashion designer Trina Turk and her photographer husband Jonathan Skow purchased the property with plans for an extensive restoration but during the house’s rehab it was destroyed in a fire. Undeterred, they rebuilt using the original plans. Head back to S. Palm Canyon, turn right and then left onto La Verne Way. Fire Station #4 (Hugh Kaptur) – 1300 S La Verne Way Beginning in the summer of 2017, work began on Fire Station #4 to remodel and expand it. The firehouse architecture is so cherished that the city agreed to involve Kaptur in the renovations so that the station could preserve his mid-century modern look and original vision. From hear head North on Sunrise Way to E. Mesquite Ave. and turn left. Turn left again at S. Driftwood Drive. Deepwell Estates William Holden Estate (1956) – 1323 S Driftwood Dr This classic mid-century architecture is attributed to John Porter Clark, located on an approximately 1 acre, in the heart of the prestigious Deepwell neighborhood. Head North on Driftwood and turn right on E Ocotillo Ave, the right again on S Calle De Maria. Leo Koerner Residence (E. Stewart Williams – 1955) – 1275 Calle De Maria A perfect example of Desert Modernism, the Koerner House was built for Leon and Thea Koerner, a pair of Canadian snowbirds, in a deftly-handled composition of stub stone, glass and wood. William Bogess House (Richard Harrison – 1955) – 1366 Calle De Maria Featured in LA Times Home, January 1, 1956. Head South on Calle De Maria, turn left Deep Well Rd, turn right onto Sagebrush Rd, turn left onto E Avenida Olancha, turn left at the 2nd cross street onto S Calle Marcus Werner Hogback (Hugh Kaptur – 1961) – 1577 Calle Marcus Kaptur came to the desert in 1956 and Calle Marcus represents an early phase in Kaptur’s career during which he was experimenting with strong geometric forms, textures and angles. Sutter House (E. Stewart Williams – 1958) – 1207 Calle De Maria Architecturally significant steel framed and concrete block structure wrapped in glass Head back to Sunrise Way via S. Mesquite Ave. and turn left. Go to Ramon Road and turn right. St. Theresa will be on your left. Sunmor Estates/Enchanted Homes St. Theresa Catholic Church (William Cody – 1968) – 2900 Ramon Rd. The 10-foot marble altars were carved in Italy to Cody’s precise specifications, where the sculptured ceilings drape like tented fabric, and the clerestory windows welcome wide rays of strategic natural light. The main entrance is at the base of a cross shape. Outside the red and yellow stained glass are in a pattern designed by Cody. Palm Springs City Hall (Albert Frey – 1952) – 3200 E Tahquitz Canyon Way Like many of Frey’s designs, the building is integrated into the surrounding terrain. Its outdoor walkways appeal to the sunny, arid climate suitable for outdoor spaces, while landscaping includes sections of grassy lawns with flower beds and mature trees. Frey drew from the local area when selecting colors and textures for the project. The exterior facade is a light taupe hue to match the desert beyond. Colonnades around the perimeter create partially enclosed walkways. Panels formed from grids of white tube sections allow air to pass into these paths while shading them from strong sunlight. Wexler & Harrison – 2928, 2968 and 2980 Plaimor Dr., 260 N Airlane Dr IWexler was a disciple of famed modernist architect Richard Neutra. In the early 1950s, he moved to Palm Springs to work for William Cody and met his business partner. They formed Wexler and Harrison in 1952. Krisel – 204, 205 and 206 N Airlane Dr. Head West to N Farrell Drive, turn right and then left on E. Alejo Rd. The Sinatra house will be on your right. Movie Colony Twin Palms – Sinatra House (E. Stewart Williams – 1955) – 1148 Alejo Rd Frank first came to Palm Springs in search of a weekend home for his family after signing a lucrative movie contract with MGM. Sinatra initially requested designs for a Georgian-style mansion, complete with a brick facade and column. He had just made his first million and wanted to celebrate in grand style. However, with renderings of a house composed of long horizontal tines and non-traditional building materials, Williams was able to lure Sinatra away from the idea of a Georgian house towards something more “desert appropriate.” Later, Roger Williams, Stewart’s architectural partner and brother, reflected “We’d have been ruined if we’d been forced to build Georgian in the desert.” Frey House II Frey House II is owned by the Palm Springs Art Museum, however bequest of the home to the Museum was conditional on it being used as a residence. Some fortunate staff member gets to call this place home! Occasionally tours are held around the property, but you’ll have to jump on those tickets fast because it’s a guaranteed to be a sell-out season every time! 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What is Desert Modernism? Desert Modernism is a interpretation of the Modernist or International Style, tailored to suit the Palm Springs indoor/outdoor lifestyle. People flocked to Palm Springs for the stunning fall/winter weather and wanted to spend their time outdoors. Desert Modernism is recognizable by its minimalist clean lines and the seamless blur of indoor and outdoor space. Rooflines are often flat or butterfly-wing v-shapes. Floor plans were open with lots of windows and sliding glass doors that bring the outside in. Beautiful breeze blocks temper the desert heat. Wiliam Cody Richard Neutra – Austrian born, raised and trained, Neutra immigrated to the U.S. in 1923 where he worked with Frank Lloyd Wright before branching out on his own. Of the three homes Neutra designed in Palm Springs, his masterpiece is the residence he designed for Edgar Kaufmann in 1946. John Lautner – After training under Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West, Lautner moved to LA and focused on residential architecture. His combination of progressive engineering and dramatic space-age flair culminated in the Palm Springs homes for Arthur Elrod and Bob Hope. These homes are privatly owned and in a gated community, so they can not be viewed. Donald Wexler – Donald Wexler worked for Richard Neutra for a while in LA, then relocated to Palm Springs where he was employed by William Cody. Wexler partnered with Richard Harrison for a time. Together they designed many school buildings and the Steel Development Homes for Alexander Construction Company. Other notable designs include the Dinah Shore Residence, Spa Hotel Bath House (demolished) and Royal Hawaiian Estates. William “Bill” Krisel – Krisel studied architecture at the University of Southern California and also became a licensed landscape architect. There are 30,000 residences in Southern California that can be attributed to Krisel. As a personal friend of Bob Alexander, his name appears on many Alexander Construction Company developments. E. Stewart Williams – Williams studied at Cornell and University of Pennsylvania. Some of his notable Palm Springs designs include the Palm Springs Art Museum, Coachella Savings and Loan (now a Chase Bank), Palm Springs Aerial Tramway station and Frank Sinatra Estate. William Cody – Cody studied architecture at the University of Southern California before moving to Palm Springs in 1946. He designed the Del Marcos Hotel the following year and went on to work on several clubhouses and Country Club developments as well as projects outside Palm Springs. Among Cody’s celebrated designs are Abernathy House, Palm Springs Public Library and his contribution to the demolished Palm Springs Spa Hotel. Albert Frey – Frey is really considered the founder of the Palm Springs Modern movement. He worked in Paris for Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret before moving to the US in 1928. While working with A. Lawrence Kocher on the East Coast for some years, a project brought Frey to Palm Springs. In California, he worked with John Porter Clark. Buildings of note include Frey House I and II, and the Tramway Gas Station (now the Palm Springs Visitor Center). John Porter Clark – Clark studied architecture at Cornell and apprenticed with Garrett Van Pelt in Pasadena. He relocated to Palm Springs to find more work. In 1935, Clark met Albert Frey and partnered on eight projects. George and Robert Alexander (developer) – The Alexander Construction Company was founded by Robert Alexander financed by his father George. They specialized in residential developments, creating affordable housing estates. The prolific developers helped to double the size of Palm Springs. Their homes are known as the “Alexanders” though they enlisted William Krisel to provide much of the architecture. They also partnered with architects Charles Dubois and Donald Wexler. Hugh Kaptur – Kaptur studied architectural engineering. He relocated to Palm Springs in 1956 and apprenticed for Wexler and Harrison. Kaptur designed the Triangle Inn, Fire Station #3 (with Robert Ricciardi) and #4, the Musicland Hotel and houses for Steve McQueen and William Holden among others. Jack Meiselman (developer) – Jack was a builder who worked with the Alexander Construction Company for a time. After a falling out with the Alexanders, he teamed up with brother Bernie, buying up land close to Alexander plots and building a variation on his former partner’s design. The Meiselmans built approximately 350 homes in Palm Springs. A. Quincy Jones – Jones worked with a slew of modernist architects including Douglas Honnold, George Vernon Russell, Burton A. Schutt and Paul Williams. It was with Paul Williams he later partnered on several Palm Springs projects including Palm Springs Tennis Club (1947), the Town & Country Restaurant (1948), and Romanoff’s On the Rocks (1950 – demolished). Palm Springs Self-Guided Architecture Tour Begin at the Palm Springs Visitor Center – 2901 N Palm Canyon Drive Albert Frey designed Tramway Gas Station, now the Palm Springs Visitor Center There are a number of architecture books available at the Visitor Center as well as various gifts and information. There is also a printed Hollywood Star Home self-guided tour map for purchase to see where many of the Hollywood stars lived which helped make Palm Springs world famous. Head down San Raphael Drive across the street from the Visitor Center. Turn right on Indian Canyon Drive and left on E. Simms Road. Racquet Club Estates Next we head a short distance from the Palm Springs Visitor Center off Indian Canyon Dr. with the Alexander Steel Homes on N. Sunnyview Drive between Simms and E. Molina roads. Alexander Construction Company Steel Houses 290 Simms Rd 300 and 330 East Molino Rd 3100, 3125, 3133 and 3165 N Sunnyview Dr Designed in 1960 by Donald Wexler and Richard Harrison, these pre-fabricated, all-steel homes were to fill an entire neighborhood. However, after seven homes were built, rising steel prices made further homes in this style cost-prohibitive. All seven homes are now class one historic sites. Head South on Sunnyview Way toward Francis East Drive Kreisel designed homes 325 Francis East Dr 388 and 520 Desert Holly Circle 970 E Racquet Club Road 455 and 483 E Francis Dr (flamingo letterbox) A close personal friend of developer Bob Alexander and his family, Krisel came to the Desert at the request of Alexander to design a tract of modernist houses dubbed Smoke Tree Valley (now known as Twin Palms for the pair of Palm trees that graced each of the homes). Other Palmer & Krisel projects include the Ocotillo Lodge, Las Palmas Estates (Vista Las Palmas), Kings Point and Canyon View Estates, and Racquet Club Estates. The “House of Tomorrow,” conceived as an experiment in modern living, so impressed Alexander’s wife Helene that they made it their personal residence. The house later gained fame as the honeymoon home of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. Drive to Indian Canyon Drive, turn left and left again at Racquet Club. Hugh Kaptur designed Fire Station #3 – 590 E Racquet Club Rd Kaptur’s first own Palm Springs project was the Impala Lodge, now the Triangle Inn, in 1957-58. Other projects followed soon including the William Burgess Residence, the Pete Seva Residence and the Robert Leaver Residence (now demolished) all perched above Palisades Road on a rocky ledge with sweeping panoramic views of the valley floor. Partnering briefly with architect Robert Ricciardi in 1961, the firm completed Palm Springs Fire Station #3 and the Palm Springs Golf Course Clubhouse. Head back to Indian Canyon Drive and make a left. Chino Canyon/ Little Tuscany Estates Grace Lewis Miller House (Richard Neutra – 1937) – 2311 N. Indian Canyon Drive – Although a small home, it combined a dance studio for the owner. It is a good representation of Neutra’s use of simple, flat-roofed forms arranged and adapted to the sun, outdoor space, and the need for coolness and ventilation in the desert. He specialized in extending architectural space into a carefully arranged landscape. Head South on Indian Canyon and make a right on Vista China. Kaptur Court – 262-266 W Vista Chino Three iconic mid-century style single family homes by architect Hugh Kaptur. Turn right on N Via Norte and left on W Chino Canyon Road and head up the hill. If you stay left you will pass the home owned by Elvis Presley at 825 W Chino Canyon. Edris House (Stewart Williams – 1954) – 1030 W Celio Dr William and Marjorie Edris had lived in one of the Potter Clinic’s upstairs apartments at the same time as the Williams family in the late 1940s. The two couples became friends and in 1953 had hired Williams to build them a winter residence. The parcel chosen was located in the undeveloped upper reaches of the Tuscany Heights neighborhood in a boulder-strewn area. Taking full advantage of the unique location, Williams moved only those boulders necessary to place the house on a flat surface with the goal of integrating as much of the natural environment into the design as possible. Native rock was used for the prominent chimney, with the east end penetrating the floor-to-ceiling plate glass wall of the living room with breathtaking views of the Coachella Valley. Almost the entire pool is surrounded by boulders, several of which are just a foot away from the pool’s edge. Dr. Franz Alexander House (1965) – 1011 W. Cielo Dr Historic, original, and spectacular, this home is a midcentury modern dream. Designed by architect Walter S. White for psychoanalyst Dr. Franz Alexander, the Alexander House, as it’s known, appears to emerge from the site’s boulders and the rocky mountains behind it. The result is a structure that seamlessly integrates into its natural surroundings, enhancing views of the valley while creating numerous indoor-outdoor connections. The property offers includes a separate guesthouse, and incorporates local “lava rock” stonework, walls of glass, and redwood siding. Dramatic architectural elements like V-shaped steel supports, a swooping tongue-and-groove ceiling reaching toward the mountains, plus a double-height atrium—with an open-tread black steel staircase leading upstairs by Albert Frey—are but a few of the incredible details that bring the residence to life. Head back down to Vista Chino and make a right. Alexander-May House (Edward Fickett – 1951) – 424 W Vista Chino Rd Edward designed this home for his friend and colleague George Alexander, of The Alexander Construction Co., who later sold it to Tom May, of the May Department Stores. Kaufmann Desert House (Richard Neutra – 1946) – 470 W Vista Chino Rd Edgar Kaufmann hired Neutra to design a desert home for his family. A decade earlier, Frank Lloyd Wright had built Fallingwater for Mr. Kaufmann. But Kaufmann, having seen Taliesin West, thought that Wright didn’t understand desert design and chose Neutra instead. The home turned out so well, that when Wright saw it, he admitted to that is was beautiful (uncharacteristic of him). The building remains the most famous in Palm Springs in terms of international recognition. Go to the end to the road and turn left on N Via Monte Vista Vista Las Palmas and Old Las Palmas Swiss Misses (Charles DuBois) – 755 W Crescent Dr. Charles attended UCLA for a year and then transferred to MIT from 1922 – 1930. Traveling between coasts and working at different architectural firms, Charles passed the California and national exams in the 1930s and started his own firm in 1938. During WWII, when housing construction slowed, he worked as a Senior Set Designer for MGM. He is known for the few Swiss Miss Houses in Palm Springs featuring the A-frame entry. Examples include: 1133 Vista Vepero – 1958 1110 Abrigo Road – 1958 775 W Crescent Drive – 1958 700, 855 Via Las Palmas – 1959 1355 N Rose Ave – 1961 These homes were built in the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood, which was undergoing development by builder Joe Dunas and the Alexander Construction Company. There are 15 Swiss Miss Houses remaining today in Vista Las Palmas. Dinah Shore Estate – 432 Hermosa Place Leonardo DiCaprio acquired Dinah Shore’s Palm Springs Home for $5.2 Million in 2014. Designed by architect Donald Wexler for Dinah Shore in 1964, this legendary Palm Springs’ Old Las Palmas neighborhood tennis estate defines timeless mid-century modern architecture. Turn right on N. Mission Road, turn left on W. Merito Place, right on N Cahuilla, left on W. Alejo, right on N Belardo, then right on N Museum Way. There is a parking structure on the corner the back of Hyatt Palm Springs on your left. Downtown Palm Springs Palm Springs Art Museum (E. Stewart Williams 1976) – 101 N Museum Dr. Williams constructed the museum out of concrete mixed with Warmtone cement and several aggregates. Long expanses of concrete panels were hammered to expose the aggregate. For cladding, Williams sought a lightweight material with colors sympathetic to the adjacent mountainside. By the early 1980s, more space was needed to display the museum’s collection, so administrative functions were relocated to a new, separate structure just north of the original building. Named the Marks Administration Building, it was designed by Williams and completed in 1981. Front the front of the Art Museum, head south on N. Museum Drive, turn left on W. Tahquitz Way, then right on S. Palm Canyon Drive. Oasis Commercial Building (E Stewart Williams – 1951) – 121 S Palm Canyon Dr This is a Class 1 designation building by a modernist architectural E. Stewart Williams. Continue South on S. Palm Canyon to Baristo. The Architecture Museum is on on your left. Palm Springs Architecture and Design Center, Edward Harris Pavilian (E. Stewart Williams – 1961) – 300 S Palm Canyon Dr. The center is housed inside a classic midcentury International style building that Williams, a prominent figure of Desert Modern style, originally designed as a 1961 Sante Fe Federal Savings & Loan. Los Angeles-based firm Marmol Radziner restored the 13,000-square-foot modernist structure, which stands elevated above street level in glass and steel. Floor-to-ceiling windows that look over the cityscape and the San Jacinto Mountains frame its glass pavilion. The building’s main level features a gallery space for architecture and design exhibitions and curatorial offices. The lower level of the building serves as a study center and library. Head toward the mountains on Baristo. Del Marcos Hotel (William Cody – 1947) – 225 W Baristo Rd In 1945, Cody was retained to alter the Desert Inn, one of the first resorts in Palm Springs, his first commission in Palm Springs. In 1947 he completed the Del Marcos Hotel, his first independent commission, which was recognized by the AIA Southern California Chapter with an honorable mention. Drive back to S. Palm Canyon and turn right. Chase Bank ( E. Stewart Williams – 1953) – 499 S Palm Canyon Dr Originally the Coachella Valley Savings & Loan. Gary Cooper, noted motion picture star, was elected to the board of directors of the Coachella Valley Savings and Loan association at the annual meeting of stockholders held at the company headquarters in Palm Springs in 1953. The Five Hundred (Hugh Kaptur – 1955) – 500 S Palm Canyon Dr This was originally owned by actor Allan Ladd. His son, Alan Ladd Jr., would become President of 20th Century Fox. His other son, David, would be an actor, producer, and husband of the actress Caryl Ladd, best known for her role in Charlie’s Angles. Musicland Hotel (Hugh Kaptur – 1967) – 1342 S Palm Canyon Dr An earlier project similar in architectural style to Tahquitz Plaza (now Kaptur Plaza) is what was th Casa Blanca Motor Hotel, today called the Musicland Hotel. One of the more notable features of the building is the prominent sculptural “eyebrow” around the street-facing second-story window. Continue South The Mesa/Canyon Corridor/Twin Palms Estates Royal Hawaiian Estates (Donald Wexler – 1961-1962) – 1774 S Palm Canyon Dr Wexler and Richard Harrison combined modernist ideas with Polynesian themes when they designed the Royal Hawaiian Estates condominium complex when tiki architecture was in fashion. The complex has 12 buildings with 40 condominium units on five acres. Drive South on S. Palm Canyon and turn right on W Camino Carmelita, turn left onto Ave Moraga and property will be on your right. Ship of the Desert – 1995 Cam Monte he Davidson family had been visiting Palm Springs in the winter from the east coast and decided to build a home in the Mesa. They hired architectural firm Earle Webster & Adrian Wilson to design their winter home. Prior to 1936, architecture in the resort town was exclusively Spanish Mission Revival. They decided to do something completely different and designed the home in a style known at Streamline Moderne which represents a design reflecting imagery of automobiles, steamships, and airplanes. “Ship of the Desert” was built in 1936 (1995 S. Camino Monte). It was featured on the cover of Sunset Magazine in 1937. In 1998, fashion designer Trina Turk and her photographer husband Jonathan Skow purchased the property with plans for an extensive restoration but during the house’s rehab it was destroyed in a fire. Undeterred, they rebuilt using the original plans. Head back to S. Palm Canyon, turn right and then left onto La Verne Way. Fire Station #4 (Hugh Kaptur) – 1300 S La Verne Way Beginning in the summer of 2017, work began on Fire Station #4 to remodel and expand it. The firehouse architecture is so cherished that the city agreed to involve Kaptur in the renovations so that the station could preserve his mid-century modern look and original vision. From hear head North on Sunrise Way to E. Mesquite Ave. and turn left. Turn left again at S. Driftwood Drive. Deepwell Estates William Holden Estate (1956) – 1323 S Driftwood Dr This classic mid-century architecture is attributed to John Porter Clark, located on an approximately 1 acre, in the heart of the prestigious Deepwell neighborhood. Head North on Driftwood and turn right on E Ocotillo Ave, the right again on S Calle De Maria. Leo Koerner Residence (E. Stewart Williams – 1955) – 1275 Calle De Maria A perfect example of Desert Modernism, the Koerner House was built for Leon and Thea Koerner, a pair of Canadian snowbirds, in a deftly-handled composition of stub stone, glass and wood. William Bogess House (Richard Harrison – 1955) – 1366 Calle De Maria Featured in LA Times Home, January 1, 1956. Head South on Calle De Maria, turn left Deep Well Rd, turn right onto Sagebrush Rd, turn left onto E Avenida Olancha, turn left at the 2nd cross street onto S Calle Marcus Werner Hogback (Hugh Kaptur – 1961) – 1577 Calle Marcus Kaptur came to the desert in 1956 and Calle Marcus represents an early phase in Kaptur’s career during which he was experimenting with strong geometric forms, textures and angles. Sutter House (E. Stewart Williams – 1958) – 1207 Calle De Maria Architecturally significant steel framed and concrete block structure wrapped in glass Head back to Sunrise Way via S. Mesquite Ave. and turn left. Go to Ramon Road and turn right. St. Theresa will be on your left. Sunmor Estates/Enchanted Homes St. Theresa Catholic Church (William Cody – 1968) – 2900 Ramon Rd. The 10-foot marble altars were carved in Italy to Cody’s precise specifications, where the sculptured ceilings drape like tented fabric, and the clerestory windows welcome wide rays of strategic natural light. The main entrance is at the base of a cross shape. Outside the red and yellow stained glass are in a pattern designed by Cody. Palm Springs City Hall (Albert Frey – 1952) – 3200 E Tahquitz Canyon Way Like many of Frey’s designs, the building is integrated into the surrounding terrain. Its outdoor walkways appeal to the sunny, arid climate suitable for outdoor spaces, while landscaping includes sections of grassy lawns with flower beds and mature trees. Frey drew from the local area when selecting colors and textures for the project. The exterior facade is a light taupe hue to match the desert beyond. Colonnades around the perimeter create partially enclosed walkways. Panels formed from grids of white tube sections allow air to pass into these paths while shading them from strong sunlight. Wexler & Harrison – 2928, 2968 and 2980 Plaimor Dr., 260 N Airlane Dr IWexler was a disciple of famed modernist architect Richard Neutra. In the early 1950s, he moved to Palm Springs to work for William Cody and met his business partner. They formed Wexler and Harrison in 1952. Krisel – 204, 205 and 206 N Airlane Dr. Head West to N Farrell Drive, turn right and then left on E. Alejo Rd. The Sinatra house will be on your right. Movie Colony Twin Palms – Sinatra House (E. Stewart Williams – 1955) – 1148 Alejo Rd Frank first came to Palm Springs in search of a weekend home for his family after signing a lucrative movie contract with MGM. Sinatra initially requested designs for a Georgian-style mansion, complete with a brick facade and column. He had just made his first million and wanted to celebrate in grand style. However, with renderings of a house composed of long horizontal tines and non-traditional building materials, Williams was able to lure Sinatra away from the idea of a Georgian house towards something more “desert appropriate.” Later, Roger Williams, Stewart’s architectural partner and brother, reflected “We’d have been ruined if we’d been forced to build Georgian in the desert.” Frey House II Frey House II is owned by the Palm Springs Art Museum, however bequest of the home to the Museum was conditional on it being used as a residence. Some fortunate staff member gets to call this place home! Occasionally tours are held around the property, but you’ll have to jump on those tickets fast because it’s a guaranteed to be a sell-out season every time! Frey House II
