Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park, California
In early February, I took a trip to Palm Springs at the invitation of some friends who have a house in the area. One of the reasons for the trip (aside from some sunshine) was an annual event called Modernism Week. If one is in to architecture, as I am, and if one's favorite style of architecture is mid-century modern, then Palm Springs is your destination.
My hosts knew my love of mid-century and alerted me to the incoming Modernism Week. A website offered all sorts of opportunities during the week to become familiar with the local examples of mid-century classic homes, tours, lectures, movies, and other events. I was able to book a couple of walking tours, a bus tour, and some home tours. It was a terrific week of art, architecture, and sun!
I hope posted on this website some of the highlights of my week in Palm Springs. It was difficult at times to get good pictures of the homes because many of them are behind privacy enclosures. Still, I got some, and it was a thrill simply to be on the streets where these home were built in the 1950s and 1960s. Many are now restored to their original classic design.
These are some of the classic mid-century architects who contributed to the unique Palm Springs' environment: Richard Neutra, A. Quincy Jones, Paul R. Willams, William Cody, Donald Wexler, Dan Palmer, William Krisel, and John Lautner. All of them produced what we now call "modernism," which, by the way, does not simply mean "modern," which is a static notion.
Modernism as an architectural style is dynamic. It evolves over time, with a guiding principle of "form follows function." One immediately recognizes the simple, open floor plan, merging kitchen, dining, and living areas, using materials like reinforced concrete, steel columns, sliding doors, large plates of glass, flat (or butterfly) roofs, clerestory windows, the outdoor blending with the indoor environment, and carports.
A modernist home will be surrounded by patios, local plants, and, frequently (in Palm Springs) a pool.
