Customer Reviews

Palm Springs Modern: Houses in the California Desert

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Palm Springs Modern illustrates (in photos) a collection of homes by designers who tested design concepts in the harsh desert environment that complimented, and indeed enhanced the outcome. Those of us who seek inspiration and documentation of the modernist period will find this volumn satisfying. It is not a scholarly book, nor is the text particularly deep in theory of architectural modernism. And it doesn't matter that some of the homeowners were celebrities. What really matters is that there are so many fine examples of modernist architecture and in such close proximity.

I rather liked this book. Yes it's gushy and fluffy. I particularly liked the part about Walter Annenberg's interest in ecology after he turned 250 acres of desert into a personal Euro-Disney. However the pictures are nice, if somewhat disembodied from their context. The text is ridiculous, but I'm trying to get worked up to buy property there, so I was mainly interested in images. Of course, there is nothing useful in the way of floor plans, site maps, etc. However, if you live in the Midwest or New England and want to get really depressed about your current weather, this is the book to buy.

Palm Springs Modern provides a superb photo tour of a handful of landmark homes that defined the 'modern' style in the 1950s and '60s. Because wealthy businessmen and celebrities could afford edgier architecture, the authors focus on these homes -- with a welcome chapter on the talented William Cody in between. If you want a scholarly treatise on modernism in architecture, buy another book. If you want a tantalizing sample of some of the best work, PSM is fine. By the time modernism made its way into mass production homes, it lost much of its inventiveness and aesthetic. Those familiar with the Palm Springs area will notice that the Alexanders' ubiquitous 'butterfly' rooflines have become almost cliche, while the Loewy house and most of the PSM subjects remain exotic.

Do you need to own PSM before buying or designing a home for the California desert? Clearly the answer is NO. But if you want a virtual tour of some of the most inspired homes of the genre, PSM belongs on your coffee table. And yes, if you live in the Midwest or Northeast you would do yourself a service by putting this away in a closet somewhere during the winter.

A classic. If you've never been to Palm Springs, you'll be catching the next flight after leafing thru this fine book. Gorgeous photos of simply incredible buildings. Palm Springs has a quality and character unlike any other "resort" town. The fabulous architecture of the mid-century building boom and a renewed appreciation of the designs of that period has revitalized (again) the Palm Springs area. If you can't visit Palm Springs personally, then pour a martini, sit back and enjoy this book. It's almost like being there!

Somewhere in between the fluffing and gushing is my opinion. This coffee table book had great old and recent photos that allowed detailing viewing of architectural devices. It did fall short of more conceptual and pragmatic information that most designers (me) are looking for...insight into the original thoughts and ideas...hence 3 stars.

This book does serve a purpose, in that it gives a peek into a handful of distinguished Palm Springs residences. Sure, we get to see a few pictures of the famous Kaufmann house (by Neutra), and a few other houses that pretty much look like it, photographed in chilly and clinical detail, accompanied by a chilly monograph. But we have no sense of how these houses may have inspired more ordinary buildings in town, like the wonderful Alexander subdivisions -- which I'm told comprise the most consistent collection of modern suburban architecture in the USA. Where are the houses that regular folks live in? A few crumbs could have been thrown to the masses ... I would have liked some gas stations, some cool furniture, a dash of innovative interior design, perhaps. Go ahead and buy it, but I can pretty much guarantee that as a coffee table book, it's fairly unappetizing fare. And it doesn't much relate to the familiar Palm Springs modern style we all know and love.

What I love about Palm Springs Modern is the variety of architects and styles featured. There are great photographs, including houses by John Lautner, Richard Neutra, Craig Ellwood, and Albert Frey among others. A particularly pleasant surprise is the section on the Maslon house by Neutra which was foolishly demolished a few years ago. Love this book!

Nice book on architecture in the desert.
It showcases my favorite city perfectly.

Nice photographs but not much more. The text is light on history and analysis, and heavy on fluffy gush about wealthy celebrities. Author Adele Cygelman actually flaunts her years at "Architectural Digest" as a serious credential! Oh well.

Nice photographs but not much more. The text is light on history and analysis, and heavy on fluffy gush about wealthy celebrities. Author Adele Cygelman actually flaunts her years at "Architectural Digest" as a serious credential! Oh well.