Palm Springs Modern Committee

06/04/2026

The Palm Springs Modern Committee's annual Architectural Preservation Awards are coming Saturday, October 10!

This special event marks the season opener for all architecture, design and preservation enthusiasts, honoring the dedicated individuals who have invested their time and resources to ensure that our desert continues to showcase the extraordinary midcentury legacy we cherish today.

Learn more and get tickets here!: https://psmodcom.org

05/25/2026

Last call for tickets! The Palm Springs Modern Committee invites you to our Annual Membership Party.

This party is one of our most anticipated and fun events of the year! Capacity is limited.

Saturday, May 30, 2026
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
$75 per person
Tickets link in bio 👆

Step into a reimagined 1980s contemporary home in Andreas Hills, now transported light years beyond its origins. Inspired by science, art, and space exploration, this visionary renovation blends expansive views of Mount San Jacinto with a striking modern interior designed by architect Stanley Anderson.

Creative living spaces, celestial lighting, metallic finishes, and subtle sci-fi references create a futuristic yet inviting atmosphere. From a Starship Enterprise inspired corridor and movie theatre, to curated art and fossils, every detail connects the past and the future.

Join us for a fun party of design, discovery, and celebration!

📸:

04/28/2026

The Sirmai–Peterson House by Frank Gehry, tucked into Thousand Oaks, is a hidden early masterpiece from the mid-1980s; long before the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Using simple materials, Gehry shaped a bold cluster of cubes around a tranquil pond, creating a home that feels both sculptural and cinematic. Often overlooked, it remains one of his most inventive residential designs.

Read full article here:
https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/residential/sirmai-peterson-house-early-frank-gehry-greg-walsh-usa

Recently on the market, take a closer look at this lesser-known gem by the late master

04/21/2026

The Palm Springs Modern Committee invites you to our Annual Membership Party! Step into a reimagined 1980s contemporary home in Andreas Hills, now transported light years beyond its origins. Inspired by science, art, and space exploration, this visionary renovation blends expansive views of Mount San Jacinto with a striking modern interior designed by architect Stanley Anderson.

Creative living spaces, celestial lighting, metallic finishes, and subtle sci-fi references create a futuristic yet inviting atmosphere. From a Starship Enterprise inspired corridor and movie theatre, to curated art and fossils, every detail connects the past and the future.

Join us for a fun party of design, discovery, and celebration.

Saturday, May 30, 2026
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
$75 per person
Tickets: https://psmodcom.org/membership-party/

Buy your tickets now! This party is one of our most anticipated and fun events of the year! Capacity is limited.

Images: Dan Chavkin

04/03/2026

TOWN AND COUNTRY CENTER PRESERVATION SOLUTION IMMINENT!

After 22 years of preservation advocacy, PS ModCom is pleased to announce that the City of Palm Springs is in negotiations to purchase portions of the historic Town & Country Center. Two weeks ago the City contacted us to discuss our opinion of the proposed purchase details.

Because the city must find a new location for Fire Station Number One, it became clear that some of the parcels associated with the T&CC would be the best solution.

The outcome we advocate for would result in the restoration of the Town and Country restaurant, including the north two-story portion. We expect to hear additional details soon and will keep you informed.

We just might be on the cusp of something truly extraordinary!

03/22/2026

DESERT MODERNISM 101: LECTURE 6
FILM AND PRESENTATION: "THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY... RICHARD NEUTRA’S MASLON HOUSE"
Presented by Scott Goldstein, Dave Yakir and Greg Braun

The iconic Maslon House was designed by architect Richard Neutra in 1962 for Samuel and Luella Maslon in Rancho Mirage, California. The house was situated within the Tamarisk Country Club golf course, and held the Maslons' impressive collection of modern art. Tragically, the house was demolished by a new owner in 2002 .

The event will start with the short film, “Preservation Mirage Presents Richard Neutra’s Maslon House” by Scott Goldstein and Dave Yakir.

It will be followed by a presentation from PSModCom education committee’s Greg Braun that will give us a richer understanding of Neutra’s Masterpiece, and the greater significance of the loss when it was demolished.

Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 6-7pm
UCR Palm Desert
75080 Frank Sinatra Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92211
(Free admission with first-come, first-served seating)

Link for more info and details in bio and stories

Images by

03/15/2026

Imagine a moment when postwar optimism took shape - standing before buildings that reflected a new, modern way of living. Part of a global movement, these designs found something special in the Coachella Valley, shaped by desert light, open landscapes, and an easy connection between indoors and out. Over time, this blend of climate, architecture, and lifestyle became a defining character of Greater Palm Springs - one that continues to inspire today. Step inside PS ModCom’s new social series, "Then → Now Palm Springs" and see how modern living took root in the desert.

The former U.S. Post Office located at 849 North Palm Canyon Drive was designed in 1955 by the architecture firm Victor Gruen Associates. While the building has been extensively renovated, its mid-century modern aesthetic remains a recognized part of Palm Springs' architectural history. The building currently is popular local restaurant !

03/05/2026

✨ The future of Modernism is looking bright! ✨

At the 2026 Modernism Show, the Palm Springs Modern Committee’s BEAM (Building Education with Architectural Models) students wowed us with incredible architectural models, and this year, expressive drawings and paintings too!

Students from Palm Springs Unified middle and high schools brought bold rooflines, desert landscapes, and fresh artistic vision to life under the guidance of dedicated PS ModCom volunteer teachers, including retired architects.

Founded by the late Robert Imber and continuing today under the direction of Education Committee Chairman Joan Gand, BEAM proves that preservation and education go hand in hand.

What makes BEAM special? Students don’t just learn about architecture...they design it. They explore iconic Modernist principles, study Palm Springs’ architectural heritage, and then translate those ideas into hands-on models and artwork that reflect their own creativity and voice.

Seeing these works displayed at the Modernism Show is more than a proud moment - it’s a powerful reminder that preservation and education go hand in hand. Today’s students are tomorrow’s designers, architects, preservationists, and stewards of our city’s Modernist legacy.

Interested in supporting the BEAM program? Join PS ModCom as a member or donate. Link in bio and stories.

03/01/2026

In 2021 and 2022, The Modern Chair was presented by the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center. The exhibition showcased more than 50 works, following the evolution and progression of the modern chair, spanning the period from the dawn of the 20th Century through the mid-century years and concluding with contemporary specimens.

Curated by and Rochelle Steiner, the exhibition drew a wide audience as documented in an accompanying catalogue, published by the and authored by Brad Dunning.

In response to continued interest, the museum has reprinted a second edition and has announced the permanent display of a rotating selection of works from the exhibition in a new seating lounge, opening in the former director’s lounge of the historic former Santa Fe Federal Savings and Loan building.

During Modernism Week, Design Within Reach, a Palm Springs Modern Committee sponsor, celebrated the catalog’s release during a reception at its downtown Palm Springs store. The store displayed an artful selection of modern chairs and gifted guests with a copy of the catalog.

The Modern Chair catalog is available and at the shop (link in stories).

02/26/2026

DESERT MODERNISM 101: LECTURE 5
"ARCHITECT E. STEWART WILLIAMS"
Presented by Sidney Williams

Join Sidney Williams, daughter-in-law of E. Stewart Williams and former curator of architecture and design at the Palm Springs Art Museum, for an illuminating lecture on her father-in-law’s architectural legacy. Explore how Williams’s midcentury Modernist vision transformed Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley through iconic projects such as the Sinatra house (“Twin Palms”), desert bank buildings, the Palm Springs Art Museum, and more. Drawing from Sidney’s personal connection and curatorial expertise, this talk offers unique insight into E. Stewart Williams’s design philosophy, his collaborations with local architects and clients, and the preservation journey of his buildings. An indispensable session for anyone interested in how Desert Modernism shaped one of America’s most distinctive architectural landscapes.

Thursday, March 5, 2026, 2–3pm
Rancho Mirage Library
71-100 CA-111
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
(Free admission with first-come, first-served seating)

Link for more info and details in bio and stories

*B/W images by