Bungalow with butterfly roof.
This home on one of the tours has a hand-drawn version of Matisse's "Blue Nude II" decorating the bottom of the swimming pool. What a fabulous idea! Now, if I can just think of doing something like this minus the pool...
Modernism Week cheat sheet
Want to sound like you know what you're talking about during Modernism Week? Here's a cheat sheet:
Learn these terms
Built-ins: Furniture that is built into the home, such as cabinets or seating, to add to the clean lines of the building.
Butterfly roof: A roof line in “W” pattern that adds depth to the building's upper structure.
Bungalow: A small house or cottage usually with a small front porch popularized in Southern California.
Cantilevered: A structure that projects or hovers in space seemingly without support from beneath it.
Clerestory: Windows that are above normal ceiling height and project into roofline. They allow a more light into a room, without being exposed to direct sunlight.
Curtain wall: A wall of glass that acts as a “curtain” between the indoor and outdoor environments. Example: A curtain wall might separate the living room from the pool yard, and still allow light and an uninterrupted view of the yard.
Folded plate: A back-and-forth folding of a surface, whether roof or walls.
Googie: Coffee shop modern architectural style characterized by space-age graphics, widely angled lines, fanciful motifs; term derived from Googie's coffee shop, designed by John Lautner.
Miesian: Minimalist geometric shape, term is derived from the sparse style of architect and designer Mies Van der Rohe.
Moderne vs. Modern: Moderne refers to an Art Deco style that has a streamline look and pre-dates modern; modern refers to mid-century, post-war style.
Overhang: Used to shade a curtain wall.
Open floor plan: By using modern building materials such as I-beam construction, buildings in which rooms flow into each other.
Post-and-beam: Construction method that emphasizes vertical and horizontal elements.
Space-age: Also called jet-age, technology innovation in air travel, satellites and eventually moon travel translated into modern motif.
Know the architects
Richard Neutra: Considered one of the most influential modernist architects, he worked briefly with Frank Lloyd Wright. His buildings include the Kaufmann Desert House, the Miller house and Maslon house (built 1962, demolished 2002).
William Krisel: Krisel designed more than 30,000 units over his 50-year career. His buildings include the Ocotillo Lodge, House of Tomorrow (the Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway) and Royal Palms Estates (now called Twin Palms Estates) for Bob Alexander.
Donald Wexler: Worked for Neutra in Los Angeles and William Cody in Palm Springs before striking out on his own. His buildings include the Alexander Steel House, Spa Hotel, Palm Springs International Airport, Dinah Shore residence and Merrill Lynch Building (Palm Canyon).
E. Stewart Williams: Prolific California-based architect whose distinctive designs helped shape the valley's architectural landscape. His buildings include the Coachella Valley Savings and Loan (now Chase Bank on S. Palm Canyon Drive), the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Mountain Station and Santa Fe Federal Savings (formerly the offices of Wessman Development).
Albert Frey: Swiss-born apprentice of Le Corbusier. The destruction of Frey's Alpha Beta shopping center was the impetus for the formation of the Palm Springs Modern Commission and the adoption of the city's Historic Preservation ordinance. His buildings include the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Gas Station (now Tourism Visitor C
