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M I D - C E N T U R Y 
M O D E R N

ALBERT  FREY
RICHARD NEUTRA
WILLIAM F. CODY
JOHN LAUTNER
DON WEXLER
WILLIAM KRISEL





I specialize in modern and contemporary residences throughout the Valley, including Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert.

Unique properties that have architectural significance are my area of expertise. I have extensive knowledge of architectural history and interior design that assists my clients in buying and selling within the exclusive and unique niche of important modernist properties. Whether you're searching for a condominium in the heart of downtown Palm Springs, a hidden gem in historic Palm Springs "Las Palmas," "The Movie Colony," a home in the prestigious "El Dorado Country Club" in Indian Wells or a true William F. Cody in Rancho Mirage, I can help you realize your dreams. I understand that modern architecture is more than just flat roofs and boxy shapes.





M O D E R N  H O U S E  I N  P A L M  S P R I N G S



Modernism is a way of life, relaxed, informal, and elegant without being stuffy. I like to show clients the clean lines and open spaces that blend the interior of the home with the Desert outdoors. This is classic modernism. I love iconic houses from Albert F. Frey and Richard Neutra but I also like new contemporary designs by noted architects working today. I understand that finding the right property is a personal and complex process of emotions, time, energy and finances, but I believe that good architecture is worthwhile and will enhance your life 



   


Here in the desert, we've been fortunate to have nationally recognized mid-century architects, such as Albert Frey, William F. Cody, Richard Neutra & Donald Wexler. Their designs have withstood the test of time and are being recreated today. In fact, this type of home is hot in todays Real Estate market. Architectural pilgrims come to Palm Springs to see houses like Richard Neutra's Kaufmann House or Albert Frey's Loewy house.



                              



R A L P H  W  H A V E R K A T E  
ABR, CIPS, GRI, E-PRO




    

 Recommended sites and resources:

  For Mid-Century Modern Homes in Northern California, visit 
EICHLER HOMES
  and
   MARIN MODERN   HOMES





            
                     M O D E R N  R E A L  E S T A T E   S P E C I A L I S T
                                                                                                                                                


  
                           
Albert Frey was born 1903 in Switzerland. He worked under Le Corbusier in Paris before he moved 1930 to the United States. He was the first of le Corbusier's followers to build in America. With A. Lawrence Kocher, he started one of the most innovative and influential architectural partnerships in America during the early 1930s. In 1934 he came to Palm Springs to overview the building of the Kocher-Samsung Building. In 1935 he built the Movie Colony Hotel. In this project Frey started exploring the relationship between the desert climate and his architectural style. He started to establish the style known as desert modernism. His buildings in the desert where important contributions toward locating Palm Springs as a new frontier for the modern architectural spirit. Frey's work included the Guthrie House, the San Jacinto Hotel, Frey House I and Frey House II, the Raymond Loewy House, the Smoke Tree Ranch, the Lyons and the Markham House, the Sieroty House, the Benoist Guest House, Villa Hermosa and Bel Vista, numerous schools, hospitals and libararies, Palm Spring's City Hall and Salton Sea's North Shore Yacht Club, the Cree House, the Carey House, the Premiere Appartments. One of the best Frey examples is the Valley Station of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and the Tramway Gas Station which has become an icon for Palm Springs.





  
 
 








Albert Frey's  famous Raymond Loewy House

Albert Frey's work:
Kocher-Samson Building,
1934,766 N. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs
Guther House, 1935,666 Mel Ave., Palm Springs
San Jacinto Hotel, 1935 726 North Indian Ave, Palm Springs
La Siesta Court, 1936,247 W. Stevens Road, Palm Springs
Kellogg Studio, 1937,321 Vereda Sur, Palm Springs
Clark House, 1939,1200 Paseo El Mirador, Palm Springs
Chaney Apartments, 1939,275 Tamarisk Road, Palm Springs
Cathedral City Elementary School, 1940,47,51,65,Fleet St and Second Street, Cathedral City
Hill House, 1940,877 Panorama Road, Palm Springs
B. Johnson Bungalows ,Palm Springs
Frey, Albert House #1, 1940,47,53,1150 Paseo El Mirador, Palm Springs
Sieroty House, 1941,695 East Vereda Sur, Palm Springs
Palm Springs Water Company, 1941,844 N. Palm Canyon Road, Palm Springs
Markham House, 1941,50,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Cahuilla Elementary School, 1941,45,46,47,55,833 Mesquite Avenue, Palm Springs
F. D. Johnson House, 1941,73,80,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
El Mirador Hotel; Shop interior, 1941,N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Overly House, 1941,47,68,83,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Gilmore House,1944,47,56,66,77,Smoke tree ranch, Palm Springs
Vista War Housing, 1945, 1149,1179,1164 North Calle Rolph Road, Palm Springs
Nichols Building, 1945,700 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Racquet Club 1945,46,47,2743 N Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Raquet Club bungalows, 1945,47,49,51,2743 North Indian Ave., Palm Springs
Woolley House, 1945,856 Paseo El Mirador, Palm Springs
Villa Hermosa, 1945,48,61,155 Hermosa Place, Palm Springs
Colgan Apartments, 1946,269 Chuckwalla Road, Palm Springs
Loewy House, 1946,600 Panorama Road, Palm Springs
Lone Palm Court Addition, 1946,North Indian Avenue, Palm Springs
Mc Farland Apartments, 1946,409 North Palm Canyon, Palm Springs
Raquet Club Additions, 1946,47,48,50,57,61,2743 North Indian Avenue, Palm Springs
Samson Office Building, 1946,760 North Palm Canyon, Palm Springs
Seeburg Building, 1946,1087-91 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs
Clark and Frey Office Building, 1947,879 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Dollard Office Building, 1947,687 North Palm Canyon, Palm Springs
Dr. Purcell Office Building Addition, 1947,700 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Paddock Pool Co. Office & Warehouse, 1947,693 Ramon Road, Palm Springs
Cortissoz House, 1948,Sahara Road, Rancho Mirage
Desert Bank, 1948,68-435 East Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City
Katherine Finchy School, 1948,777 East Tachevah Road, Palm Springs
Lyons House, 1948,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Turner House, 1948, 56,68,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Tramway Station (Valley Station), 1949,End of Tramway Road off 111, Palm Spring

s


Turonnet Building, 1949,707-745 North Palm Canyon, Palm Springs
St. Pauls in the Desert, 1949,Palm Springs
Palm Springs Fire Station, 1950,Ramon Road and Sunrise Way, Palm Springs
Dollard House, 1951,Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage
Joy House, 1951,73-297 Grapevine Road, Palm Desert
Pelletier House, 1951,73-297 Grapevine Road, Palm Desert
Cahuilla Elementary Multi Purpose Building, 1952,833 Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs
Palm Springs City Hall, 1952,3200 East Tahaquitz McCallum, Palm Springs
Chambers House. Mr. & Mrs. Robson Chambers, 1952,Palm Springs
Desert Museum, 1953,East Tahquitz Way, Palm Springs
Nichols Building, 1953,891,895,897,899 North Palm Canyon, Palm Springs
Cree House II, 1955,
Raymond Drive, Cathederal City
Cielo Vista School, 1955,650 Paseo Dorotea, Palm Springs
Fire Station #1, 1955,277 Indian Avenue, Palm Springs
Carey House, 1956,83,651 West Via Escula, Palm Springs
Colgan Apartments Additions, 1956,269 Chuckwalla Road, Palm Springs
Foursquare Gospel Church, 1957,630 Vella Road, Palm Springs
Premier Apartments, 1957,261 South Belardo Road, Palm Springs
Nellie Coffman Building, 1958,60,400 South Cerritos, Palm Springs

North
Shore Yacht Club, 1958,North Shore, Salton Sea



Palm Springs High School Shop Building, 1958,2248 East Ramon Road, Palm Springs
Frellinghuyser House Alterations, 1959,707 Panorama Road, Palm Springs
North Shore Beach Estates (Project), 1959,North Shore, Salton Sea
North Shore Beach Estates Sales Building, 1959,North Shore, Salton Sea
North Shore Beach Motel, 1959,North Shore Salton Sea
Alpha Beta (Ralphs), 1960,Ramon Road and Sunrise Way, Palm Springs
Schiff House Addition, 1960,Raquet Club 2743 North Indian Ave. , Palm Springs
Clark House Additions , 1961,65,76,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Palm Springs High School Alterations, 1961,Palm Springs
Steinmeyer House, 1962,318 Pablo Drive, Palm Springs
Frey, Albert House II, 1963,72,686 Palisades Drive, Palm Springs
Thorton House, 1963,69,71,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Armstrong House, 1964,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Hollingsworth House, 1964,72,76,155 San Marco Way, Palm Springs
F.E. Supple House, 1964,67,76,78,86,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Tramway Gas Station, 1965, 2901 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Brennan House Additions, 1966, Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Gilmore Guest House, 1967,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Administration and Dining Room Additions, 1967,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Nichols Store Building II, 1968,1200 North Palm Canyon, Palm Springs
Goldman House Addition (Albert Frey, House I, 1940), 1972,1150 El Paseo Mirador, PS
Merwin House Additions, 1979,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Ryan House, 1973,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Skelton House Addition, 1976,Mountain Center
Beirne House Addition, 1977,395 South Patencio Road, Palm Springs
Lilley House Addition, 1977,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Phinny Guest House and Stuido, 1977,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Terhune House Addition, 1977,2300 Palermo Drive, Palm Springs
House Addition, 1979,840 Prescott Drive, Palm Springs
Hoffmann House additions, 1979,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Rawn House Addition, 1979,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Bryant House Addition, 1980,Smoke Tree Ranch,Palm Springs
Russell House Addition, 1980,670 Palisades, Palm Springs
Harpham House Addition, 1981,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Lawrence House Addition , 1983,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Russell House Alterations, 1983,660 Palisades Drive, Palm Springs
Smoke Tree Ranch Office, 1983,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Yantis House Addition, 1983,296 Hermosa Place, Palm Springs
Wilson House Addition, 1983,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Bauman House Alterations, 1985,1105 Cactus Drive, Palm Springs
Broderick House Addition, 1985,Palm Springs
Firring House Adition, 1985,2065 Tulare Drive, Palm Springs
Green House Addition, 1985,Smoke Tree ranch, Palm Springs
Shea House Addition, 1985,160 Ridgemore Drive, Palm Springs
Tyler House Additions, 1985,Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs
Mirrored Pavillion, 1986,Palm Springs
Burgess House Alterations , 1986,550 W Palisades Drive, Palm Springs

 


HIP MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE: VLADIMIR KAGAN, SONRISA, MODERNDOSE


 MODERN DOORS: Neoporte  MODERN KITCHEN SPACE: Poggenpohl, Scavolini


HIP MID-CENTURY MODERN FASHION: TRINA TURK




Richard J. Neutra is considered one of the world's most influential modern architects. The in 1892 in Vienna, Austria born architect was inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and created designs with extensive use of glass, allowing indoor and outdoor spaces to flow together. One of Neutra's most famous projects is the Kaufmann House he built in 1946 in Palm Springs. Richard Neutra's Kaufmann House is probably the most famous structure in the desert. A private residence, not open to the public. It has set an architectural standard for the area that still has an effect today. Now fully restored it has taken its rightful place amongst the five most important houses of the 20th century. (Falling Water, Robie House, Gropius House, Kaufman House, Gambell House)


Miller House,
1937, 2311 N. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Kaufmann House, 1946, 470 W. Chino Canyon Road, Palm Springs
The Kaufman House is Neutras Masterpiece; the great architect and a bottomless pocket patron (Kaufman, of Falling Water Kaufman) come together in a house of unparalleled modernism and sophistication.





 


HIP MID-CENTURY MODERN HOTEL LINKS: MOVIE COLONY HOTEL, VICEROY, ORBIT IN, PARKER'S, DEL MARCO'S, ZOSO



William F. Cody was born in 1916 in Dayton, Ohio. His first project in Palm Springs was the Del Marcos Hotel in 1947. He converted the Thunderbird Dude Ranch to the Thunderbird Country Club. This led to the designs of the Tamarisk Country Club in Rancho Mirage and the Eldorado Country Club Indian Wells. He was one of the designers of the Spa Hotel in Palm Springs and a wide variety of commercial and residential projects in Palm Springs.

San Marino (Del Marcos) Motel, 1947,225 W. Baristo Road, Palm Springs
Cody/Urrutia House, 1947,1950 Desert Palms Drive, Palm Springs
May House, 1951,424 W. Vista Chino, Palm Springs
Spa Hotel, 1959,100 N. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Shell Gas Station, 1964,2796 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Shapiro House, 1969,711 W Panorama Road, Palm Springs







Donald Wexler worked for Richard Neutra in Los Angeles before he moved to Palm Springs to work for William Cody. Donald Wexler developed an expertise in prefabricated steel construction, which he used in the Alexander Steel Houses. His projects include besides many commercial, institutional and public buildings, the Palm Springs Airport, Spa Hotel Bath House and the Canyon Country Club Clubhouse.

Wexler House, 1954,1272 Verbena Drive, Palm Springs
U.S Steel House, 1961,3100 N. Sunnyview Drive, Palm Springs


Steel House, 1961,290 Sims Road, Palm Springs
Steel House, 1962,300 Molino Road, Palm Springs
Steel House, 1962,3125 Sunnyview Drive, Palm Springs
Steel House, 1963,3100 Sunnyview Drive, Palm Springs
Palm Springs Airport, 1966,3400 E. Tahquitz McCallum, Palm Springs




              
Stewart E. Williams 

FAIA, born in 1909, was the eldest son of Harry Williams who built the historic La Plaza Shopping Center in Palm Springs. In 1946, Stewart joined his Father and his brother forming the firm Williams, Williams & Williams. His major projects were the Oasis Office Building, Coachella Savings and Loan, Santa Fe Savings Bank and the Upper Mountain Station of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. In addition to the Frank Sinatra House he has designed numerous architecturally significant private residences throughout the desert.

His most significant building is the Palm Springs Desert Museum in 1976. His last project was a major expansion of the Desert Museum known as the "Steve Chase Addition"  which was designed in 1993 and completed in 1996.



Frank Sinatra House, 40's,Palm Springs

 

Pepper tree Inn Additions, 1948, 645 N. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Oasis Building, 1952, 115 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Edris House, 1953, 1030 W. Cielo Drive, Palm Springs
Williams House, 1956, 1250 E. Paseo El Mirador, Palm Springs
Harold Hicks Real Estate Building, 1956, 1345 N. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs
Hagertys, 1957,205 S. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs
Santa Fe Federal Saving, 1957,400 S. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs City National Bank, 1957,588 S. Palm Canyon , Palm Springs Abernathy / Broderick House, 1962,611 N. Phillips Road, Palm Springs
Coachella Valley Savings and Loan, 1965,499 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
Palm Springs Desert Museum, 1973,1997,101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs
Erik Williams House, 1988,800 W Stevens Road, Palm Springs
Tramway Station (top)
Potter Clinic Building 1000 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs















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