palm springs: a brief history
I visited Palm Springs several weeks ago with my mom and we had such a blast. In addition to the relaxed vibe, great food, and pool time, we loved driving around the vibrant mid-century modern neighborhoods. My favorite neighborhood is Vista Las Palmas, just a few blocks from the main downtown and perhaps the most iconic and colorful architecture in the country. We are heading back to Palm Springs in October for an entire week and staying in an Atomic Ranch home. I can't wait.
So how did Palm Springs become such a mid-century haven? I was curious and did some research.
The Palm Desert is just a couple hours from Los Angeles and has long been a destination for the Hollywood elite who craved an escape from the bustle of the big city. In the late 1800s, Palm Springs became a health resort, its mineral springs a sanitorium for the treatment of tuberculosis.
Since the 1920s, modernist architects began building sleek, modern designs that blended into the natural environment of the desert. Similar to Charles Goodman and other architects in the DMV, architects in Palm Springs used the dramatic geography of the mountainous area and this form of architecture earned the name "Desert Modernism." There are several other types of architecture that can be found in Palm Springs: Art Moderne, Spanish Eclectic, Googie, and Tiki.
Starlets and socialites came to Palm Springs to enjoy the year-round sunshine, play golf, and enjoy cocktails by the swimming pool. The 1947 Sinatra House even has a swimming pool shaped like a grand piano and serves as a good example of the experimentation of the time.
Well-known architects that built in Palm Springs in the first half of the century include: George Alexander, John Lautner, Richard Neutra, Donald Wexler, E. Stewart Williams, William Cody, and Albert Frey. Their style influenced architecture in neighborhoods all over the United States.
There are also a number of mid-century modern hotels designed by some of these architects, which have been maintained to honor the furnishings and architecture of the time: Del Marcos Hotel, The Parker, The Ace Hotel.
Sources: The Westcott, Thoughtco.
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