Modernism Week in Palm Springs

Since 2006, many curious, artistic individuals have flocked to Palm Springs in February, not to escape from the cold, but to embrace its mid-century modern surroundings for Modernism Week. This year, I was one of those fortunate individuals. This two-week event has multiple lectures, cocktail parties, tours, and daily outings to get involved in. It was hard to pick which ones to go to over my short weekend there.

I first attended a cocktail party held at the Sunrise Lanai Apartments in the Las Palmas District. These residences were designed by the Modernist Charles E. DuBois in 1962, that alone made it a must. These “Swiss Miss” style apartments were designed in a rectangular pattern as six floor plans, all with sun patios surrounding the common outdoor space. Guests toured each of the sympathetically restored and decorated apartments while listening to 70s music and viewing famous works by local artist, Josh Angle aka “Shag”.

The next morning, I walked the Movie Colony, an area filled with homes owned by old Hollywood stars dating from the 1930s to the 1960s, such as Cary Grant, Dinah Shore, Jack Benny, and Frank Sinatra. These homes were not only owned by movie stars, but they were designed by prestigious Modernist architects of that time, including E. Stewart Williams, William Cody, and Donald Wexler. This tour started at Frank Sinatra’s home, The Twin Palms, designed by Williams. The former home of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh built by Donald Wexler and Richard Harrison, stood out, with its stark white brick wall and steel beam overhangs. William Cody’s Abernathy Residence, completed in 1962, caught my eye as well with its bungalow-style roof lines arranged in a pin-wheel plan. There was certainly no shortage of creativity in this neighborhood.

The West Elm House was the next must-see. This was the third time West Elm and the local Acme House Company teamed up to restore a mid-century home for Modernism Week. This year’s home, called the Seven-Eighty, is in the El Mirador neighborhood. This 1957 home was restored by Apollo Design Studio to a “rental paradise” filled with West Elm’s current line of furniture and local artisans work, such as Richard Prescott. More than 7,000 tourists roamed the property taking photos, finding inspiration, and chatting with the designers.

In all these homes and properties I toured, it was apparent that way of life in the mid-century had a method of bringing people together. Living rooms and dining spaces were blending. Smaller spaces and simplicity were common themes. A lecture on the culture of this time made me realize these commonalities even more. The lecturer mentioned Guide to Easier Living, a book by Mary and Russel Wright where it outlined how to organize your home and furniture in a better way which sparked my interest. The book seemed to tie-in everything I was there exploring.

Each of the events I enjoyed was unique but contained the common theme of mid-century modern architecture. The best part was seeing people of all walks of life, donors, companies, and designers interact with each other. Getting to talk to the local artists and architects and hear the ideas behind their designs was a privilege. This style has been making a comeback recently, in part because of Modernism Week. My weekend was one-of-a-kind, and I recommend attending because there is no other city like Palm Springs. Regrettably, the one thing I missed was the Palm Springs Door Tour, a driving tour focused on the deep-rooted craftsmanship of front doors paired with trendy colors. Something to look forward to for next year!

All photos were taken by Colby Gallagher.