Author: lindsay

  • Maranz Residence

    Maranz Residence

    This 1960 midcentury icon is a true showstopper. With its dramatic, sweeping gull-wing roofline—seemingly poised to take flight—the Maranz House is a dazzling architectural feat defined by bold angles and razor-sharp lines. Overlooking the third fairway of Tamarisk Country Club, the residence was designed by architect Val Powelson for mechanical engineer, artist, and Tastee-Freez founder Leo S. Maranz. Boasting a pedigree as legendary as its design, fabled developer Robert Alexander and four of the Marx Brothers were among the notable guests at Maranz’s housewarming party. Today, the property holds the distinction of being one of the first entries on Rancho Mirage’s Register of Historic Places, and its cinematic profile has made it a favorite backdrop for photo shoots, including a cover feature for Palm Springs Weekend.

  • Kenaston House

    Kenaston House

    E. Stewart Williams designed this Desert Modern-style treasure in 1957 for wealthy rancher Roderick W. Kenaston and his wife, silent film star Billie Dove. Laid out in a U-shape, the home is accented with rock walls, corrugated aluminum siding and a zig-zagging cement path leading to bright orange double doors. Pristinely preserved (the only Williams design in Rancho Mirage to remain fully intact!), when it was last sold in 2017, listing information noted the place brought in a cool $50,000 annually from photoshoots! Just a few of the celebrities who have posed on the premises include Madonna, James Blunt, and, most famously, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie for W magazine’s much-ballyhooed July 2005 “Domestic Bliss” feature, in which the duo created moody tableaus depicting a doomed marriage against the pad’s sleekly styled walls.

  • Albert Frey’s Cree House

    Albert Frey’s Cree House

    This modern masterpiece, built directly into a craggy hillside out of mint green cement sheeting and yellow fiberglass paneling, was designed by Albert Frey for local developer Raymond Cree in 1955. While remaining largely unchanged from its inception, the property is rarely opened for tours and has become known as the “Forgotten Frey” – not, according to Palm Springs Life, “because anyone ever really forgot about it, but because hardly anyone has ever seen it.” Thankfully, its exterior, at least, is clearly visible to passersby from California 111 just west of Cree Road.

  • Franz Alexander Residence

    Franz Alexander Residence

    Crafted by Walter S. White in 1956, this modernist gem sits tucked into the mountainside of Palm Springs’ exclusive Little Tuscany neighborhood. Commissioned for psychoanalyst Dr. Franz Alexander, the structure is best known for its striking roofline (as is the case with most White creations). Fashioned from steel and redwood, the piece curves upward in breathtaking fashion toward the rear of the property, cresting over a cantilevered patio to full dramatic effect.

  • The Wexler Steel Houses

    The Wexler Steel Houses

    This small collection of midcentury abodes is the work of architect Donald Wexler, who designed a series of affordable prefabricated steel and glass residences for developers George and Robert Alexander between 1961 and 1962. Though initially expected to be part of a large community, rising steel costs thwarted the project, and only seven homes were completed. Today, the septet stands as a block-wide historical landmark and stunning example of preserved midcentury design.

  • That Pink Door

    That Pink Door

    While this chic pad, designed by James McNaughton in 1973, once belonged to “Kojak” actor Telly Savalas, it is most famous for its towering entrance outfitted in bright blush – so much so that it has come to be referred to as “That Pink Door” on Instagram. If you’ve ever scrolled through the feed of a California-based influencer, you’ve undoubtedly come across its gorgeous, pastel detailing. Known in architectural circles as Villa Sierra, not only is the magnificent property visible from the road, but dogged fans can spend a night on the premises as it currently operates as a short-term rental that sleeps eight.

  • Bank Of America

    Bank Of America

    This expressionistic monolith was originally built as a City National Bank in 1959. Designed by Rudi Baumfeld of Victor Gruen & Associates, the structure was inspired by the adobe architecture of the Southwest, as well as France’s Notre Dame Du Haut chapel, and was deemed “the most beautiful bank in America” by “Southwest Building and Contractor” magazine upon its completion. It remains a landmark today. Don’t miss the original coin scale, on display in the lobby and fully accessible for customers to try out themselves.

  • Aluminaire House

    Aluminaire House

    First displayed at the 1931 Architectural and Allied Arts Exposition in New York, the Aluminiaire House, designed by Albert Frey and A. Lawrence Kocher, was created as an experimental example of affordable prefab living. Standing three stories, the 22- by 28-foot, 1,200-square-foot structure, which is enveloped in aluminum alloy and steel, took 10 days to complete. Considered a marvel of its day, the piece went into private collection shortly after the exposition and subsequently fell into disrepair. It was ultimately acquired by the Palm Springs Art Museum in 2020 and, after a lengthy restoration, was installed on permanent display. Recognized by Architectural Record as “one of the most important buildings completed worldwide in the past 125 years,” Aluminaire House is open Thursdays through Mondays and admission is free. (Note – only its exterior can be viewed. Interior access is not permitted.)

  • Kaufmann House

    Kaufmann House

    One of the most famous residences in the world (let alone Palm Springs!), the Kaufmann House was designed by Richard Neutra in 1946. Famed photographer Julius Shulman’s 1947 images of the place turned it into a landmark virtually overnight, and it has gone on to become one of the most photographed pads in history – so much so that when it was listed for sale with Christie’s auction house in 2007, it was categorized not as a piece of real estate, but a work of art! The property also boasts a handful of non-architectural claims to fame – not only did singer Barry Manilow call it home for several years, but it appeared prominently as Chris Pine’s pad in 2022’s “Don’t Worry Darling.”

  • St. Theresa Catholic Church

    St. Theresa Catholic Church

    This stunning sanctuary is the work of architect William F. Cody. Erected in 1968 and eloquently described by ”Explorer’s Guide” as ”a modernist contemplation of a Gothic cathedral,” the church is a marvel, featuring sloping walls that cinematically curve upward toward a soaring wood-beamed ceiling. Cody, who crafted everything from the structure’s stained glass windows to the baptismal font, was recognized by the Golden Palms Award Committee for his design, which garnered quite a celebrity following, with everyone from Bob and Dolores Hope to Loretta Young attending mass on the modernist premises. Sonny Bono’s funeral was even hosted at St. Theresa’s following his untimely death in 1998, as was Cody’s in 1978, just a decade after the church’s completion.

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