Palm Springs (Mid Century Modern)

As often as possible, I like to take a trip to get my creative juices flowing and inspire new ways of thinking about design and construction. My latest trip was to Palm Springs, California with the goal of seeing as much of my favorite type of architecture as possible: mid-century modern! My wife set the whole think up which made it extra special:) I was lucky enough to do a city tour of all the architectural gems while on the top level of a double decker bus. This is important since a common facet of mid-century modern design is to use site walls, fences, and landscaping to create exterior rooms. Being on the top level of the bus allows you to be high enough to see over these barriers to be able to enjoy the architecture. Sounds creepy, but it’s all in an effort to see cool design:) I also got to tour the Frey House II which was the personal residence of the prominent local architect, Albert Frey: https://www.psmuseum.org/visit/frey-house . He was very innovative in his use of material, integration of architecture with nature, and seeing architecture as a place of living and not just something to be looked at. Lastly I got to enjoy a lecture about one of my favorite architects of all time, the man responsible for modern architecture as we know it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Gropius . I hope you enjoy the images as much as I do!

This colonnade creates a space that is outdoors AND indoors.

The beautiful mountains create a nice backdrop to the architecture

The colonnade frames a view to the outdoor fireplace

Window separating two outdoor spaces creates a sense of separation

An outdoor buffet nestled in a breezeway allows you to enjoy being outside without needing to go indoors for a snack

contrasting forms are offset and play with horizontal and vertical elements to reinforce the separate forms

"Rowan" is the character in a story that I love (and so does the US NAVY)

https://www.josharch.com/blog/2019/10/1/garcia

This dominant solid concrete form contrasts in height, depth, and color as it slices through all other elements

The reveal between the white wall plane and the concrete accentuates its dominance

By putting this dominant concrete form at sidewalk level, it allows you to experience its massiveness at a pedestrian scale

The cantilevered roof plane slices through a solid white form and a dark form to create the transition from solid to void

Layers of depth with breeze-block, verticals, and horizontals

A vertical (tree) penetrates a horizontal (roof)

Beautiful use of rusted steel to contrast the stone by being inset and higher than those adjacent forms

Notice how all of the forms contrast in height, depth, and material

The extension of the steel beam defines the area of outdoor dining

Not just a bench! Love those mitered corners, cantilevered planks, and angled edge

This cool bench also creates a nice separation to an outdoor dining area

Folded and patterned steel plates creates nice layering and depth on the facade

The folded steel facade also penetrates the slicing roof plane

This sculpture of steel plates is see-through from the right vantage point

This sculpture actually helps communicate how large this cantilever is

This hovering roof plane covers many volumes below to unify them

Solid. Void. Solid.

The dominance of this concrete form in the foreground gives prominence to the coffered concrete roof hovering above

Notice the textured concrete transitions to smooth concrete where that wall plane slides into the void

The Frey house II from afar

This simple metal tube creates the rough support needed for the roof overhang

Interesting transition of roof planes

The roof on the inside travels to the outside to blur the boundaries

The glass abuts the boulder to blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces

Intersection of materials

Welded post and beam connection

Outdoor seating nestled into the landscape

Outdoor seating and natural landscape frame the view

The curtal is cut to contour the boulder

The tree provides a sense of privacy and integration with nature

Carefully crafted door frame

The wood slats contour the curve of the ceilings and wall

The one-way glass allows you to see in but not out

The mirrored one-way glass is like a human-scale kaleidoscope

Repeating translucent 3D patterns create intrigue every time

The extending roof planes and wall planes create visual interest

The stone chimney extending beyond the reflective roof plane creates true contrast

Parabolic roof plane with insane cantilever

Interesting corner condition for concrete block

The steel frame hovers beyond the concrete block supports

The translucent wall plane creates privacy for the entrance to this public restroom

Interesting interplay between glass and concrete block

The roof plane seems to hover past the glass wall without touching it

The actual indoor space is loosely related to the wall, floor, and roof around it

Interesting steel framing details

A glimpse of how the upper roof plane slips beyond the lower one

Folded roof plane allows for clerestory windows

That roof is seriously thin

Another seriously thin roof. Site walls create outdoor "rooms"

Not sure, but had to show you this:)

and this:)

The stacked block wall is used in 3 contrasting elements, wall, site wall, and planter

The fact that the tree trunks start outside the wall and then continue along the path inside the wall, helps to invite you inside (Frank's house)

The vertical site walls contrast the horizontal roof planes and create interesting outdoor spaces

solid, void, solid capped with a cantilevered roof plane

Creative wall screen with tubes

The flat roof helps to accentuate the butterfly roof

Interesting textures for the fence, gate, and the roof beyond

The layering between the cactus, site wall, thin garage roof, and eventually the house creates an entry sequence

The contrasting wall plane becomes a fence as it slices beyond the house

The lighting helps the architecture to take on a whole new life at night

The contrasting beam creates a nice element of color

The pattern of extending beams creates depth and interest

The contrasting textures of the garage wall, garage door, house door, house wall, and ceiling all work together to create interest

I love how you can see THROUGH the sculpture!

This is like being INSIDE of a kaleidoscope!

If you’d like to learn more about our design process, visit www.josharch.com/process, and if you’d like to get us started on your project with a feasibility report, please visit www.josharch.com/help