ARCHITECTURE
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
3400 EAST TAHQUITZ CANYON WAY
PALM SPRINGS
An architectural tour of Palm Springs kicks off upon arrival at the city’s airport, a true modernist gem fashioned by Donald Wexler in 1966. Laid out in a simple X formation, the architect created the space with navigational ease in mind, noting, “Passengers can see everything from one corridor without the use of confusing signage.” That effortless configuration remains in place today. Capped by an impressive peaked roofline, the airport also boasts floor-to-ceiling glass walls that showcase the surrounding landscape, serving as a glorious welcome to the desert. Those not arriving by plane can still experience all that PSP has to offer via a daily Stay and Play Pass.
PALM SPRINGS CITY HALL
3200 EAST TAHQUITZ CANYON WAY
PALM SPRINGS
Designed by powerhouse architects Albert Frey, E. Stewart Williams, John Porter Clark and Robson C. Chambers, Palm Springs City Hall was constructed over a period of five years beginning in 1952. The one-story concrete block structure is fronted by a handsome brise-soleil forged from aluminum piping and a massive canopy complete with a circular cutout through which three towering palms grow. The striking visage is an impeccable reflection of the city’s modernist heritage.
ST. THERESA CATHOLIC CHURCH
2800 RAMON ROAD
PALM SPRINGS
This stunning sanctuary is the work of architect William F. Cody. Erected in 1968 and eloquently described by ”Explorer’s Guide” as ”a modernist contemplation of a Gothic cathedral,” the church is a marvel, featuring sloping walls that cinematically curve upward toward a soaring wood-beamed ceiling. Cody, who crafted everything from the structure’s stained glass windows to the baptismal font, was recognized by the Golden Palms Award Committee for his design, which garnered quite a celebrity following, with everyone from Bob and Dolores Hope to Loretta Young attending mass on the modernist premises. Sonny Bono’s funeral was even hosted at St. Theresa’s following his untimely death in 1998, as was Cody’s in 1978, just a decade after the church’s completion.
KAUFMANN HOUSE
470 WEST VISTA CHINO
PALM SPRINGS
One of the most famous residences in the world (let alone Palm Springs!), the Kaufmann House was designed by Richard Neutra in 1946. Famed photographer Julius Shulman’s 1947 images of the place turned it into a landmark virtually overnight, and it has gone on to become one of the most photographed pads in history – so much so that when it was listed for sale with Christie’s auction house in 2007, it was categorized not as a piece of real estate, but a work of art! The property also boasts a handful of non-architectural claims to fame – not only did singer Barry Manilow call it home for several years, but it appeared prominently as Chris Pine’s pad in 2022’s “Don’t Worry Darling.”
ALUMINAIRE HOUSE
101 NORTH MUSEUM DRIVE
PALM SPRINGS
First displayed at the 1931 Architectural and Allied Arts Exposition in New York, the Aluminiaire House, designed by Albert Frey and A. Lawrence Kocher, was created as an experimental example of affordable prefab living. Standing three stories, the 22- by 28-foot, 1,200-square-foot structure, which is enveloped in aluminum alloy and steel, took 10 days to complete. Considered a marvel of its day, the piece went into private collection shortly after the exposition and subsequently fell into disrepair. It was ultimately acquired by the Palm Springs Art Museum in 2020 and, after a lengthy restoration, was installed on permanent display. Recognized by Architectural Record as “one of the most important buildings completed worldwide in the past 125 years,” Aluminaire House is open Thursdays through Mondays and admission is free. (Note – only its exterior can be viewed. Interior access is not permitted.)
BANK OF AMERICA
588 SOUTH PALM CANYON DRIVE
PALM SPRINGS
This expressionistic monolith was originally built as a City National Bank in 1959. Designed by Rudi Baumfeld of Victor Gruen & Associates, the structure was inspired by the adobe architecture of the Southwest, as well as France’s Notre Dame Du Haut chapel, and was deemed “the most beautiful bank in America” by “Southwest Building and Contractor” magazine upon its completion. It remains a landmark today. Don’t miss the original coin scale, on display in the lobby and fully accessible for customers to try out themselves.
THAT PINK DOOR
1100 EAST SIERRA WAY
PALM SPRINGS
While this chic pad, designed by James McNaughton in 1973, once belonged to “Kojak” actor Telly Savalas, it is most famous for its towering entrance outfitted in bright blush – so much so that it has come to be referred to as “That Pink Door” on Instagram. If you’ve ever scrolled through the feed of a California-based influencer, you’ve undoubtedly come across its gorgeous, pastel detailing. Known in architectural circles as Villa Sierra, not only is the magnificent property visible from the road, but dogged fans can spend a night on the premises as it currently operates as a short-term rental that sleeps eight.
THE WEXLER STEEL HOUSES
3100 BLOCK SUNNYVIEW DRIVE
PALM SPRINGS
This small collection of midcentury abodes is the work of architect Donald Wexler, who designed a series of affordable prefabricated steel and glass residences for developers George and Robert Alexander between 1961 and 1962. Though initially expected to be part of a large community, rising steel costs thwarted the project, and only seven homes were completed. Today, the septet stands as a block-wide historical landmark and stunning example of preserved midcentury design.
FRANZ ALEXANDER RESIDENCE
1011 WEST CIELO DRIVE
PALM SPRINGS
Crafted by Walter S. White in 1956, this modernist gem sits tucked into the mountainside of Palm Springs’ exclusive Little Tuscany neighborhood. Commissioned for psychoanalyst Dr. Franz Alexander, the structure is best known for its striking roofline (as is the case with most White creations). Fashioned from steel and redwood, the piece curves upward in breathtaking fashion toward the rear of the property, cresting over a cantilevered patio to full dramatic effect.
ALBERT FREY’S CREE HOUSE
67389 EAST PALM CANYON DRIVE
CATHEDRAL CITY
This modern masterpiece, built directly into a craggy hillside out of mint green cement sheeting and yellow fiberglass paneling, was designed by Albert Frey for local developer Raymond Cree in 1955. While remaining largely unchanged from its inception, the property is rarely opened for tours and has become known as the “Forgotten Frey” – not, according to Palm Springs Life, “because anyone ever really forgot about it, but because hardly anyone has ever seen it.” Thankfully, its exterior, at least, is clearly visible to passersby from California 111 just west of Cree Road.
KENASTON HOUSE
39767 DESERT SUN DRIVE
RANCHO MIRAGE
E. Stewart Williams designed this Desert Modern-style treasure in 1957 for wealthy rancher Roderick W. Kenaston and his wife, silent film star Billie Dove. Laid out in a U-shape, the home is accented with rock walls, corrugated aluminum siding and a zig-zagging cement path leading to bright orange double doors. Pristinely preserved (the only Williams design in Rancho Mirage to remain fully intact!), when it was last sold in 2017, listing information noted the place brought in a cool $50,000 annually from photoshoots! Just a few of the celebrities who have posed on the premises include Madonna, James Blunt, and, most famously, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie for W magazine’s much-ballyhooed July 2005 “Domestic Bliss” feature, in which the duo created moody tableaus depicting a doomed marriage against the pad’s sleekly styled walls.
SUNNYLANDS ESTATE
37977 BOB HOPE DRIVE
RANCHO MIRAGE
Completed in 1966, this 25,000-square-foot monolith was designed by modernist master A. Quincy Jones as a winter home for Walter and Leonore Annenberg. The couple welcomed U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the premises that same year. The residence has gone on to host countless other dignitaries, statesmen and celebrities in the years since, including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, who visited in 1983, and crooner Frank Sinatra, who wed his fourth wife, Barbara, there in 1976. One of the only properties on this list open to the public, Sunnylands offers a variety of daily tours of the estate’s interiors and vast grounds. Tickets sell out quickly, so be sure to plan your visit far in advance.
MILES C. BATES HOUSE
73697 SANTA ROSA WAY
PALM DESERT
Another Walter S. White creation, this modernist one-bedroom pad was designed by the prolific architect in 1955. Featuring a striking undulating roofline inspired by the curving San Jacinto mountainscape surrounding it, the property originally served as an artist’s studio for sculptor Miles C. Bates. After falling into some disrepair, the dwelling was acquired by Stayner Architects in 2018, painstakingly restored, and today serves as a retro vacation rental/event venue known as the Desert Wave House. Outfitted with chic vintage furnishings and décor, including a “personal whiskey and amaro bar,” it is the ideal spot to live out all of your “Mad Men”-esque dreams.
WILCOCKSON HOUSE
80125 AVENUE 49
INDIO
Yet another impressive Walter S. White design, the Wilcockson House, designed for Reverend Max E. Wilcockson in 1959, is best known for its breathtaking hyperbolic-paraboloid roofline, which (believe it or not!) was the first portion of the property to be constructed, with the rest of the residence subsequently erected beneath it! Situated on a small bluff in Indio, the seemingly gravity-defying structure towers above the surrounding streets, an instantly recognizable landmark amongst a sea of homogenous gated communities. Deep-pocked fans have the opportunity for much closer views as the residence, which was recently given a top-to-bottom restoration, is now available as a vacation rental. Offering six bedrooms and six baths on two pristine acres, rates average about $2,500 per night.