Out of this World Architecture

Have you ever seen a UFO? No? Neither have I; but —  I’ve come close! My “UFO” sighting was the former residence of iconic entertainer, Bob Hope, and his wife, Dolores. Reminiscent of a flying saucer, the home sits atop a sloping hillside of Southridge, a famously exclusive gated community located in Palm Springs. I have frequented Palm Springs at least once a year for as long as I can remember. It is a favorite semi-local vacation spot for my family. Every time I have visited Palm Springs, this former residence of Bob Hope catches my attention from afar. 

Bob and Dolores Hope “hired architect John Lautner for the project due to their admiration for his Elrod House nearby on Southridge Drive. When Bob Hope saw Lautner’s model for the house in 1969 he quipped that ’Well, at least when they come down from Mars they’ll know where to go’.(1)

The site boasts incredible panoramic views of the Coachella Valley and San Jacinto Mountains. The house and grounds feature a large central terrace, six bedrooms, ten full bathrooms, and 3 half bathrooms. Off the backside of the home is a 140-foot-long infinity pool shaped like Bob Hope’s side profile, complemented by an additional indoor pool. The grounds are also highlighted by an outdoor tennis court and putting greens.

The structure itself is comprised of three expansive sloping roofs that meet in the middle to form a crater-like circular interior terrace. Utilizing the abundant natural light, the house has monumental floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Juxtaposed with modern architecture, the house also encompasses natural elements. Architect John Lautner “envisioned a residence that blended in with the surrounding rocky landscape.” (2) The overall design of the house is reflective of Bob Hope: bold, iconic, and legendary.

Since its original design, the circular 24,000-square-foot residence has been built, burned in a fire, redesigned by Lautner’s protegee, sold, and resold for nearly $25 million.

Just as Bob Hope was an icon, so too, is this spectacular desert home. Maybe, if you’re lucky like me or observant enough, you too will see this “UFO” on your next drive through the desert.

Reiner-Roth, Shane (12 November 2019). “John Lautner’s Bob Hope House gets a new lease on life”. Architect. Retrieved 25 February 2013.

Tina Daunt (6 June 2019). “Column One: Bob Hope house in Palm Springs, long an architectural footnote, approaches masterpiece status.” (https://www.latimes.com/columnone/la-me-col1-bob-hope-house-20190606-htmlstory.html)