Albert Frey is undoubtedly the pioneer of Desert Modernism. He was the first architect in America to have worked with Le Corbusier. Shortly after relocating to Palm Springs he wrote to his mentor in praise of Palm Springs and the desert enthusiastically commenting that “The sun, the pure air and the simple forms of the desert create perfect conditions for architecture.”
Frey defined a whole new style of architecture based on the Bauhaus, Le Corbusier, the International Style and, most importantly, the Southern California desert landscape and the companion way of life. He was devoted to his study of the sun, wind, rain and all of the natural aspects of the desert. He relentlessly tracked the sun and calculated how its rays strike the earth. He fashioned his Desert Modernism in steel, glass and aluminum and developed a way of indoor/outdoor living in the unique open and arid landscape.
As his career in Palm Springs progressed, Frey kept in contact with Le Corbusier, “the California desert continues to charm me, continues to nourish me, to give me an opportunity for modern architecture… It is a most interesting experience to live in a wild, savage, natural setting, far from the big city, but without losing contact from civilization.” His obsession with the desert landscape continued and he sought to fully harmonize his buildings with it. He eventually developed an accent color palette that was specifically taken from plants and materials found only in the southern California desert.
The small, unincorporated village of Palm Springs quickly became ‘The Playground of the Stars’ and enjoyed its status as a favorite resort town for Hollywood. Frey reaped the benefits with his forward thinking, desert embracing design philosophy. He designed hundreds of homes and landmark buildings in Palm Springs and the surrounding area.
Frey’s contemporaries in Palm Springs include William F. Cody, William Krisel, Donald Wexler, and E. Stewart Williams. Cody worked for architect Cliff May in Los Angeles before moving to Palm Springs to take numerous high profile commissions. William Krisel with the Alexander Construction Company pioneered the ‘Tract Modernism’ that proliferates Palm Springs, more than 2,000 tract homes were built in the area. Donald Wexler worked in Richard Neutra’s office and relocated to Palm Springs to join William Cody’s practice. He developed an expertise in prefabricated houses. E Stewart Williams was born into an existing family architectural practice in Palm Springs and developed his own impressive portfolio of prominent projects throughout Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.
Desert Modernism is notable for its use of glass, deep overhangs, delightful mix of complementary natural and manmade materials, and indoor/outdoor spaces. It embraced the mountain views and the area’s warm climate, defining a lifestyle of elegant informality.
