Category: Architecture

  • Wilcockson House

    Wilcockson House

    80125 AVENUE 49
    INDIO

    Yet another impressive Walter S. White design, the Wilcockson House, designed for Reverend Max E. Wilcockson in 1959, is best known for its breathtaking hyperbolic-paraboloid roofline, which (believe it or not!) was the first portion of the property to be constructed, with the rest of the residence subsequently erected beneath it! Situated on a small bluff in Indio, the seemingly gravity-defying structure towers above the surrounding streets, an instantly recognizable landmark amongst a sea of homogenous gated communities. Deep-pocked fans have the opportunity for much closer views as the residence, which was recently given a top-to-bottom restoration, is now available as a vacation rental. Offering six bedrooms and six baths on two pristine acres, rates average about $2,500 per night.

    Website

  • Miles C. Bates House

    Miles C. Bates House

    73697 SANTA ROSA WAY
    PALM DESERT

    Another Walter S. White creation, this modernist one-bedroom pad was designed by the prolific architect in 1955. Featuring a striking undulating roofline inspired by the curving San Jacinto mountainscape surrounding it, the property originally served as an artist’s studio for sculptor Miles C. Bates. After falling into some disrepair, the dwelling was acquired by Stayner Architects in 2018, painstakingly restored, and today serves as a retro vacation rental/event venue known as the Desert Wave House. Outfitted with chic vintage furnishings and décor, including a “personal whiskey and amaro bar,” it is the ideal spot to live out all of your “Mad Men”-esque dreams.

    Website

  • Sunnylands Estate

    Sunnylands Estate

    37977 BOB HOPE DRIVE
    RANCHO MIRAGE

    Completed in 1966, this 25,000-square-foot monolith was designed by modernist master A. Quincy Jones as a winter home for Walter and Leonore Annenberg. The couple welcomed U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the premises that same year. The residence has gone on to host countless other dignitaries, statesmen and celebrities in the years since, including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, who visited in 1983, and crooner Frank Sinatra, who wed his fourth wife, Barbara, there in 1976. One of the only properties on this list open to the public, Sunnylands offers a variety of daily tours of the estate’s interiors and vast grounds. Tickets sell out quickly, so be sure to plan your visit far in advance.

    Website

  • Maranz Residence

    Maranz Residence

    70551 TAMARISK LANE
    RANCHO MIRAGE

    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.

    Website

  • Kenaston House

    Kenaston House

    39767 DESERT SUN DRIVE
    RANCHO MIRAGE

    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.

    Website

  • Albert Frey’s Cree House

    Albert Frey’s Cree House

    67389 EAST PALM CANYON DRIVE
    CATHEDRAL CITY

    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.

    Website

  • Franz Alexander Residence

    Franz Alexander Residence

    1011 WEST CIELO DRIVE
    PALM SPRINGS

    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.

    Website

  • The Wexler Steel Houses

    The Wexler Steel Houses

    3100 BLOCK SUNNYVIEW DRIVE
    PALM SPRINGS

    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.

    Website

  • That Pink Door

    That Pink Door

    1100 EAST SIERRA WAY
    PALM SPRINGS

    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

    588 SOUTH PALM CANYON DRIVE
    PALM SPRINGS

    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.

    Website