Almost a century later, modernism is still the hippest thing about Palm Springs.
The culture of nostalgia can be found everywhere in Palm Springs, which has been a favored getaway of Hollywood stars since the silent era. But it was Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack who really put Palm Springs on the map with Polynesian cocktail parties, massive pools, low-slung desert modernism, and impromptu open mic performances at their favorite supper club in the 1950s and 60s. The mid-century modern design aesthetic associated with these celebrities, which included post-World War I interior design, architecture and graphic design, blends Bauhaus and Art Deco sensibilities in an aesthetic that is ideally suited to the red, sandy palette of the desert and its surrounding mountains. Perhaps that’s why Palm Springs is currently home to the highest concentration of mid-century modern architecture in the world.
Although some of the homes and buildings designed by great modernists architects like Richard Neutra, Albert Frey, Donald Wexler and Lloyd Wright have been renovated and updated for the 21st century, the open floor plans and dramatic flair that represent the movement are still the most attractive celebrities in the desert.