Modernism Week Day 1

Palm Springs is one of my many Happy Places and its premier event, Modernism Week, is one of my favorite reasons to visit this oasis in the desert. This was the first time Julie and I actually booked into a condo to stay for three days. What an exhausting bunch of fun.

"Modernism Week’s annual 11-day festival will feature more than 350 events including the Palm Springs Modernism Show, CAMP (Community and Meeting Place), tours of iconic homes in more than 30 neighborhoods, and the popular Signature Home Tour on both weekends. Also offered are architectural walking, biking and double-decker bus tours, tours of the historic Annenberg Estate at Sunnylands, a classic car show, garden tours, a 2-day vintage trailer show, nightly parties, and a special series of compelling and informative talks and performances at the Annenberg Theater and at the Modernism Week Theater at CAMP. All events are open to the public, and many events are free or low cost."

Julie and I invested in tickets for eight different events taking place over the 57+/- hours we will be in town! Woohoo.

Our first foray into midcentury modern magic was at Modernism Week's Featured Home Tour: The Shag House.

"The artist Shag has reimagined this midcentury modern home, creating a fully immersive tour experience that will make visitors feel as though they have climbed into a life-size Shag painting."

"The Artist Shag (Josh Agle) with homeowner, Brandon McBurney and John-Patrick of Brandtopia have creatively rescued and revived this cherished 1957 home in the Little Beverly Hills neighborhood of Palm Springs that is the talk of the town."

"As the lead designer and creative director of this major remodel and expansion, Shag has drawn upon his architectural studies and the aesthetic of his artwork to reimagine this classic 1958 home, originally designed by Desert Modern architects Palmer & Krisel for the Alexander Construction Company. Modernist fans will certainly recognize the core of the house, where Shag has preserved much of the original layout including the familiar 3-bedroom, 2-bath floor plan, as well as the tongue and groove ceilings. The kitchen and living rooms remain in their original location as does the fireplace."

"While the center of the home’s layout remains the same, everything else has been updated, expanded, and transformed for today’s modern homeowner. Shag has created an entirely new exterior, offering grand curb appeal. The front entry has been expanded and the original breezeway has been converted into a swank party lounge."

"Shag is a painter, illustrator and product designer whose distinctive artistic style draws from commercial illustration from the past five decades. His work is imbued with an attitude and sly sense of humor which is unmistakably of our time. The paintings themselves celebrate consumerism and consumption on vividly colored sharply rendered panels; the characters drink, smoke and eat in lavish, stylish surroundings. This one-of-a-kind Shag House will set the perfect party backdrop in Palm Springs."

This was a very highly anticipated house to explore and we were not disappointed. It was a bit surreal with the complete Shagness of it all. Very, very groovy, indeed.

What an interesting eclectic weekend we planned. Before we jumped too far into the era, we thought a lecture about of the history of the MCM (midcentury modern) movement was a good idea. We attended Desert Modernism 101–from Bauhaus to Our House. "Enjoy an informative and entertaining look at the principles of design that rocked the world of architecture in post-war America."

So many questions were asked like, "How did the Coachella Valley become a living museum of desert modern architecture? What makes a building midcentury modern? Who are the architects that created the unique collection of desert modernism here in our valley?"

"Palm Springs Modern Committee members Joan Gand and Mimi Fisher, on behalf of PSModCom's Education Committee, will present an informative and entertaining look at the principles of design that rocked the world of architecture in post-war America."

For 1.5 hours we were thoroughly delighted by these two very knowledgeable women. There was a great deal of history to cover and they did it very well.

Thankfully, there was no test afterward though I did take notes!

We stumbled upon our next tour last year when it was sold out. This time we jumped on the tickets and were so happy we didn't miss it again.

From Forgotten to Fabulous: The Rejuvenation of Little Beverly Hills Tour consists of six creatively re-envisioned, meticulously maintained homes in this intimate enclave designed by iconic midcentury architects and built by the Alexander Construction Company circa 1958.

"In February 1954, Songold Land Development Company purchased a 40-acre tract from the Agua Caliente tribe and named the tract Ramon Rise Estates with 84 lots for homes. They built the first 21 homes, priced between $14,000 and $16,000. In late 1955, the remaining 63 lots were acquired by George Alexander and were built between July 1957 and February 1958; priced between $18,950 and $19,775."

"This quiet neighborhood is a hidden gem of midcentury architecture undergoing a remarkable restoration. The development features homes with similar floor plans but varying rooflines and orientations to create unique properties of harmonious proportion and design. Tour 6 homes brand new to Modernism Week."

"See how old and new residents alike are lovingly revitalizing this remarkable neighborhood with classic Palm Springs style that emphasizes the elegant flow of indoor and outdoor living spaces perfect for entertaining. You can almost hear the ice clinking in cocktail shakers as you enter."

To be invited into to these amazing homes, to leisurely be looky-loos with no one getting mad, and to admire the skill of designer and architect is pretty darn exceptional. Little Beverly Hills was worth the wait.

Our final stop was at the Shag Store. It is always a happening event when Josh Agle is there. It's a tradition of mine to get a photo with him, whenever possible. Poor guy, he really does have a stalker in me.

The store's event was celebrating the release of his newest print Desert Bloom. WOW. I so envy those people who can totally SHAG out their homes. One day...

Julie and I spent the rest of the evening giddy about all the great choices we made of things to experience this weekend. Day 1 was a huge success.

"Modern architecture is not a style,

it's an attitude."

-Marcel Breuer

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HAERR TRIPPIN'

Modernism Week Day 1

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