Table of contents for Spring 2024 in Atomic Ranch

Some home-buying stories feel like Hollywood-movie magic. They have the serendipity of a classic film and the charm of a sweeping score. This is one of those stories. Our main characters are Drew Downie and Gabriella Baiter, and the setting is a 1960 Palm Springs condominium. The lovable ensemble? Their dog, Stella, and baby, Grayson. A meet-cute for the ages, Gabriella just happened to find the property’s listing only an hour after it went live. “The home itself is classic desert modernism—quintessential Palm Springs, from the unique roofline to the shadow blocks to the inside/outside vibe brought to life by the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the garden,” Drew says. Their Palm Springs paradise is the work of award-winning architect Barry Berkus, whose career largely focused on mass-market housing. Built in 1960,…

Modernism Week events aren’t just about fun, glitz and glamour. Ticket sales from historic-home groups are a pivotal source of funds that many of these neighborhoods and complexes rely on for restoration projects that aim to bring back authentic and historic elements to its public spaces. One such example is the Ocotillo Lodge. Built in 1956 by the Alexander Company and designed by William Krisel, the lodge was originally a place where the company could house prospective home buyers who arrived in town to investigate the tract homes within their new Twin Palms development. Today, the lodge is a private condo complex. Recent Modernism Week fundraising allowed for the recreation of the original Ocotillo Lodge sign to grace the façade. Tony Vardaro, president of the HOA, says, “We utilized Modernism…

WHILE PALM SPRINGShas almost always had a reputation as being a destination for the jet set, it wasn’t always appreciated or identified as a trove of modern architectural design. “I started hanging out in Palm Springs in 1994, when location scouts, magazine editors and the design-obsessed were all being drawn to the desert by the same modernist siren call,” Adele Cygelman says. “At that point, the only architecture coverage was Joseph Rosa’s book on Albert Frey. Because I was an editor at Architectural Digestat the time, I was introduced to Albert and we ran an article on him, but that was pretty much it until the floodgates opened in 1998 with the publication of major articles about Palm Springs in The New Yorker and Vanity Fair.” “As I began spending…

Palm Springs, California, was once the watering hole of Hollywood’s A-list stars. But in 2012, when Brent Swift, a seasoned real estate professional and owner of design and build firm, Swift Co., was exploring the famed Racquet Club Cottages West—condos that had once been a hotel where celebs like Marilyn Monroe lounged by the pool or swatted at tennis balls—he never imagined that he would be helping restore that history. DESERT ESCAPE Brent had taken on a tour of the Racquet Club Cottages West grounds to learn more about madcap modern architect, William F. Cody, a.k.a “Wild Bill,” who had designed other noteworthy spots like the Del Marco Hotel, L’Horizon Resort and the Perlberg residence. “People used to call Cody ‘Wild Bill’ because he designed really cool stuff out in…

It’s hard to improve on a classic, especially when that classic is a Krisel home. Yet, with a combination of love and respect for the original design and a vision for functional and aesthetic updates, designer and landscape architect Michael Norpell elevated the exterior of this home without sacrificing all the elements that make it an MCM desert gem. The butterfly rooflines drew Michael to the project as did the beautiful, rugged desert landscaping that played an integral role in the architectural design. CATCHING THE VISION The owners of nearly 20 years of this mid-century marvel located in the famous Twin Palms neighborhood of Palm Springs, California, reached out to Michael after their vacation home became a permanent residence in the wake of the pandemic. “They wanted a landscape that…

last look THOUGH AN IMPROBABLE HOME FOR THE SPORT,the Coachella Valley has become known to some as the “golf capital of the world.” With 122 courses to choose from, 300 days of sunshine a year and pristine playing conditions, it is no wonder that golf is the premier attraction in the desert. And much like the development of the surrounding desert, the growth of golf in the Coachella Valley was rapid in the mid century, shaped by the elite, and is full of rich history. Before 1950, there were only two small golf courses across the Valley—the first was The O’Donnell Golf Course, built by Thomas Arthur O’Donnell. An oil tycoon and owner of the famed house above what is now the Palm Springs Art Museum, O’Donnell built the nine-hole…

curb appeal Situated just east of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, this 1958 home has only had three owners, and the second one owned it just long enough to paint the dark-red exterior black, build an addition, upgrade some finishes and resell it to the current owner. “In 2020, the home was purchased from flippers by a Bloomington native who had long lived in New York City, but wanted a landing spot back in her hometown,” says Susan Yeley, creative director and owner of the residential design studio Susan Yeley Homes. "She remembered [the home] well from her childhood, when it belonged to her mother's best friend." Hiring Susan and her team to design and manage the renovation and fill the home with furniture and art, the new owner and…

There’s one piece of advice that design-build duo Kevin Kemper and Howard Hawkes of H3K Home+Design always give to their clients: Live in the house for a little while before making any changes. “If there’s the opportunity to live in the space and use it, it’s really valuable,” they say. “How are they using it in the summer? How in the winter?” When it came to their own home, a 1957 Charles Du Bois in Palm Springs, circumstances led them to take their own advice to a new level: 12 years of waiting to make renovations happen. “Would we recommend waiting 12 years? Probably not… that might be a little excessive,” they say with a smile. But returning this beautiful Hawaiiana Charles Du Bois to its mid-century glory was worth…

Atomic Ranch is no stranger to the mecca of Modernism. We’ve been traveling to the desert since 2016 to create events for the Mid Century Modern enthusiast to experience the history of Modernism in the area through talks, tours and our fair share of cocktail parties. With that comes the pleasure of becoming acquainted with the many things the city has to offer by way of stays, eats and entertainment! So here’s our list of top picks from the desert for anyone planning to visit and enjoy the historic sights and more. BEST THINGS TO DO 1. Palm Springs Air Museum Home to one of the world’s largest collections of static & flyable aircraft during the mid-century, there is always something new at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Unlike other…