![]() ![]() The minimalism of Desert Modernism was perfect for developers trying to erect houses fast and cheap. Tract housing became the natural solution – you know, those Stepford Wives-esque, cookie-cutter developments. Builders struggled to keep up with the influx. Simultaneously, the masses rolled into the Coachella Valley and its population swelled. They could back these desires with the fat wallets it took to commission the day’s foremost architects to design them something highly original and cutting edge. The wealthy brought their “keeping-up-with-the-Jones’” mentality with them, and the desire to have the latest, greatest design and technology for their holiday homes. It is said that Hollywood studios had their stars on a 2-hour leash, so Palm Springs was a local getaway that didn’t contravene their contractual obligations. However, the two World Wars took their toll on Palm Springs.Īfter World War II, Palm Springs’ remerged as a popular winter escape, notably for movie industry elites and deep-pocketed industrialists from the east coast. Dry air was thought to be good for tuberculosis suffers and so the desert town started to flourish with hotels and health resorts. Palm Springs became a trendy resort town in the early 1900s. While breeze blocks and sun shades temper desert heat. Floorplans were open with lots of windows and sliding glass doors that brought the outside in and vice versa. Rooflines are often flat, mono-pitched “skillion” or butterfly-wing v-shapes. Architects adapted concepts of European Bauhaus to fit the local environment, à la Frank Lloyd Wright.ĭesert Modernism, as it has become known, is recognizable by its minimalist, clean lines and use of mass-produced building materials. Download a printable version of the tour directions/addresses to take in the carĭesert Modernism is a regional interpretation of the Modernist or International Style, tailored to suit the Southern Californian and American Southwest climates and favoured indoor/outdoor lifestyle.Palm Springs self-guided architecture tour map.Other ways to enjoy Desert Modernism in Palm Springs.Palm Springs self-guided architecture tour itinerary.How did Palm Springs become the Mecca of Mid-Century architecture?.Let’s take a nostalgic self-guided architecture tour of Palm Springs and discover the magic of Desert Modernism. Visionary architects working in the burgeoning Coachella Valley put their own spin on Bauhaus and the International Style, reworking it for the desert environment. From highly customized mansions to suburban tract housing, Palm Springs was at the forefront of American architecture during the mid-20th-century. Palm Springs lays claim to the “Largest Concentration of Mid-Century Modern Architecture in the United States”. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |