Modern Architecture
Architecture
Soaring Above the Desert: Albert Frey’s Cree House Reborn
Tours of the renovated architect-designed home are being offered at Palm Springs Modernism Week, which opens Feb. 13
Albert Frey’s Cree House is open for tours during Modernism Week 2020, which runs Feb. 13 to 23. For tickets and information about the annual Palm Springs celebration of midcentury modern design and architecture, visit the Modernism Week website.
For years, curious travelers driving on State Route 111 through Southern California’s Coachella Valley marveled at the dramatic profile of a hillside home, its massive stone chimney and deck perched high above the desert floor. This was all that most people ever saw of Albert Frey’s 1955 Cree House, as it remained closed to the public for most of its existence.
In 2019, after a more than yearlong restoration of the architect-designed home, visitors finally got to tour this midcentury gem at Palm Springs Modernism Week. Read on to see more of “The Forgotten Frey” and learn about its inception, innovative design and renovation.
For years, curious travelers driving on State Route 111 through Southern California’s Coachella Valley marveled at the dramatic profile of a hillside home, its massive stone chimney and deck perched high above the desert floor. This was all that most people ever saw of Albert Frey’s 1955 Cree House, as it remained closed to the public for most of its existence.
In 2019, after a more than yearlong restoration of the architect-designed home, visitors finally got to tour this midcentury gem at Palm Springs Modernism Week. Read on to see more of “The Forgotten Frey” and learn about its inception, innovative design and renovation.
A rendering by Clark and Frey Architects shows Frey’s design for the never-built Desert Hills Hotel. At the bottom of the hill is the main building, with nine bungalows arranged along a winding drive up the hill.
Modernist Vision for a Rocky Hillside
Raymond Cree, a school superintendent-turned-real estate developer from the Palm Springs area, bought 12 acres of land outside Palm Springs in 1947. He commissioned architect Albert Frey to design a resort that was to be called the Desert Hills Hotel and include a main building and nine luxury bungalows.
Frey, who was born in Switzerland and moved to Palm Springs in the early 1930s, had already established himself as one of the top modern architects in the area. Over the course of his career, he designed a number of notable buildings that are still standing in Palm Springs, including the Raymond Loewy House, the Hidden Frey and his personal house, the Frey House II.
The resort was never realized, and it remains a mystery as to why the rocky parcel of land sat vacant for years, during which time Cree turned his attention to other property ventures.
Modernist Vision for a Rocky Hillside
Raymond Cree, a school superintendent-turned-real estate developer from the Palm Springs area, bought 12 acres of land outside Palm Springs in 1947. He commissioned architect Albert Frey to design a resort that was to be called the Desert Hills Hotel and include a main building and nine luxury bungalows.
Frey, who was born in Switzerland and moved to Palm Springs in the early 1930s, had already established himself as one of the top modern architects in the area. Over the course of his career, he designed a number of notable buildings that are still standing in Palm Springs, including the Raymond Loewy House, the Hidden Frey and his personal house, the Frey House II.
The resort was never realized, and it remains a mystery as to why the rocky parcel of land sat vacant for years, during which time Cree turned his attention to other property ventures.
Seen from below, the original house is a startling contrast to its rocky site. Archival photo by Julius Shulman, J. Paul Getty Trust
In 1955, a year after his wife died, Cree, at the age of 82, asked Frey to revisit the hotel property, this time to design his personal residence. Cree kept his wish list simple, asking for a home that could accommodate large gatherings of friends and family and would require minimal maintenance.
In 1955, a year after his wife died, Cree, at the age of 82, asked Frey to revisit the hotel property, this time to design his personal residence. Cree kept his wish list simple, asking for a home that could accommodate large gatherings of friends and family and would require minimal maintenance.
The house sits at the top of a winding driveway, where the original Desert Sands Hotel bungalows would have been sited. 2019 photo by Colin Flavin
Touching the Ground Lightly
Cree and Frey located the house near the center of the property in a steeply pitched boulder field, one of the most challenging spots for construction. This was a signature move by Frey, who later designed his own house, the Frey House II, on a steep, rocky cliff many believed to be unbuildable.
Touching the Ground Lightly
Cree and Frey located the house near the center of the property in a steeply pitched boulder field, one of the most challenging spots for construction. This was a signature move by Frey, who later designed his own house, the Frey House II, on a steep, rocky cliff many believed to be unbuildable.
The downslope part of the house is supported on pilotis. Frey paid careful attention to all views of the house, using light gray corrugated aluminum where the underside is exposed. 2019 photo by Colin Flavin
For the Cree House, Frey turned to his architectural roots, when he worked for famed Swiss architect Le Corbusier. He supported the house on slender columns called pilotis, a structural design Le Corbusier pioneered (notably showcased at his Villa Savoye).
This approach is economical, as there’s no need to create a flat building pad, which requires expensive site excavation and retaining walls. It also allowed the house to touch the ground lightly, with only a portion of the floor in contact with it.
For the Cree House, Frey turned to his architectural roots, when he worked for famed Swiss architect Le Corbusier. He supported the house on slender columns called pilotis, a structural design Le Corbusier pioneered (notably showcased at his Villa Savoye).
This approach is economical, as there’s no need to create a flat building pad, which requires expensive site excavation and retaining walls. It also allowed the house to touch the ground lightly, with only a portion of the floor in contact with it.
Frey was ahead of his time in environmental sensitivity. This cross-section of the deck and house shows how only the uphill portion of the home touches the ground.
2019 photo by Colin Flavin
Architecture Calls to Its Environment
The pilotis support a conventional wood-frame structure, anchored on one end by a massive native stone fireplace, each rock of which was selected by Frey. This is another Frey signature, where standard construction is paired with carefully crafted aspects.
Architecture Calls to Its Environment
The pilotis support a conventional wood-frame structure, anchored on one end by a massive native stone fireplace, each rock of which was selected by Frey. This is another Frey signature, where standard construction is paired with carefully crafted aspects.
Fiber cement wall panels primarily cover the home’s western facade. The lack of windows minimizes overheating during the hot afternoon. The corner windows open for cross ventilation. 2019 photo by Colin Flavin
Fiber cement panels in sage green — selected for their ability to insulate from the desert heat and hold up in sandstorms — cover the exterior walls. Frey loved the color green for his work, saying in a 1995 interview with author Jennifer Golub: “Green is very restful to the eyes. Like a billiard table.” The panels have stood the test of time, and even the original vertical striations that resemble foliage remain intact.
Fiber cement panels in sage green — selected for their ability to insulate from the desert heat and hold up in sandstorms — cover the exterior walls. Frey loved the color green for his work, saying in a 1995 interview with author Jennifer Golub: “Green is very restful to the eyes. Like a billiard table.” The panels have stood the test of time, and even the original vertical striations that resemble foliage remain intact.
The simple rectangular floor plan oriented on an east-west axis shows the genius of Frey. The home’s public spaces are arranged on the left and the private spaces on the right, down a narrow passage. The massive deck extends down over the slope and more than doubles the house’s entertaining space.
A Simple, Efficient Floor Plan
The house is contained within a 1,300-square-foot simple rectangle. The only exceptions are the kitchen, which juts out a few feet up the hill to the south, and a recess on the north side, where the deck meets the house. The home’s simple shape was both economical to build and resulted in less exterior wall and roof area to absorb heat, making it more efficient to heat and cool. On the south side of the house, Frey was careful to limit the amount of glass to avoid overheating.
The clever arrangement of spaces within the rectangle is where the Cree House achieves its magic. Frey made the most of the modest footprint with a few deft moves. There’s a single large living room with generous sliding glass doors and no dining room. The adjoining kitchen and guest bedroom both feature folding walls that allow them to be joined with the living room to accommodate larger gatherings. With the sliding glass doors open, the party can spill out onto the 800-square-foot deck.
A Simple, Efficient Floor Plan
The house is contained within a 1,300-square-foot simple rectangle. The only exceptions are the kitchen, which juts out a few feet up the hill to the south, and a recess on the north side, where the deck meets the house. The home’s simple shape was both economical to build and resulted in less exterior wall and roof area to absorb heat, making it more efficient to heat and cool. On the south side of the house, Frey was careful to limit the amount of glass to avoid overheating.
The clever arrangement of spaces within the rectangle is where the Cree House achieves its magic. Frey made the most of the modest footprint with a few deft moves. There’s a single large living room with generous sliding glass doors and no dining room. The adjoining kitchen and guest bedroom both feature folding walls that allow them to be joined with the living room to accommodate larger gatherings. With the sliding glass doors open, the party can spill out onto the 800-square-foot deck.
The living room, with its massive stone fireplace, overlooks the desert valley. Archival photo by Julius Shulman, J. Paul Getty Trust
Midcentury Gem Revived
In 2017, Sam Harris bought the Cree House and embarked on restoring it to the way he remembered it as a child. His father, Sherman Harris, was the home’s third owner and had resided in it since the early 1970s. The younger Harris remembers playing on the surrounding boulders as a boy in the ’70s while visiting his father and stepmother at the house. He later lived in the house in the 1990s for five years.
“My dad’s approach was always to be all in or not at all,” says Harris, who channeled this attitude in the renovation. But Harris wasn’t alone in the project. John Vugrin, a master craftsman and designer with 35 years of experience designing and building architectural interiors —including the interiors of the Doolittle Joshua Tree House designed by architect Ken Kellogg — led the renovation project.
Vugrin describes the Cree house as a “barn find,” with only minor renovations over the years. The bones of the house were intact but had suffered 50 years of wear and tear.
Midcentury Gem Revived
In 2017, Sam Harris bought the Cree House and embarked on restoring it to the way he remembered it as a child. His father, Sherman Harris, was the home’s third owner and had resided in it since the early 1970s. The younger Harris remembers playing on the surrounding boulders as a boy in the ’70s while visiting his father and stepmother at the house. He later lived in the house in the 1990s for five years.
“My dad’s approach was always to be all in or not at all,” says Harris, who channeled this attitude in the renovation. But Harris wasn’t alone in the project. John Vugrin, a master craftsman and designer with 35 years of experience designing and building architectural interiors —including the interiors of the Doolittle Joshua Tree House designed by architect Ken Kellogg — led the renovation project.
Vugrin describes the Cree house as a “barn find,” with only minor renovations over the years. The bones of the house were intact but had suffered 50 years of wear and tear.
Photo by Lance Gerber
The Living Room
The living room is dominated by a massive fireplace in the northeast corner of the room, with sliding glass doors opening to the expansive floating deck. As part of the restoration, interior designer Lawrence Lazzaro of Nicholas Lawrence Design selected finishes. At Modernism Week 2020, the home was furnished with Herman Miller pieces designed by Charles & Ray Eames and George Nelson, seen here and in other interior photos.
The Living Room
The living room is dominated by a massive fireplace in the northeast corner of the room, with sliding glass doors opening to the expansive floating deck. As part of the restoration, interior designer Lawrence Lazzaro of Nicholas Lawrence Design selected finishes. At Modernism Week 2020, the home was furnished with Herman Miller pieces designed by Charles & Ray Eames and George Nelson, seen here and in other interior photos.
Photo by Lance Gerber
The Kitchen
Harris and Vugrin went to great lengths to stay true to Frey’s vision, which is especially notable in the kitchen. To maintain the original cabinet layout, Harris and the design team had the appliances restored, including the three-compartment 1955 GE refrigerator, placed above the counter like upper cabinets.
Vugrin had custom plastic panels molded to match the refrigerator’s damaged interiors. Harris worked with an auto body shop to repair and paint the three refrigerator doors their original brown. (The 400-pound refrigerator had to be hoisted out of the cabinets with a pulley system.)
The Kitchen
Harris and Vugrin went to great lengths to stay true to Frey’s vision, which is especially notable in the kitchen. To maintain the original cabinet layout, Harris and the design team had the appliances restored, including the three-compartment 1955 GE refrigerator, placed above the counter like upper cabinets.
Vugrin had custom plastic panels molded to match the refrigerator’s damaged interiors. Harris worked with an auto body shop to repair and paint the three refrigerator doors their original brown. (The 400-pound refrigerator had to be hoisted out of the cabinets with a pulley system.)
The kitchen has an abundance of undercounter drawers, in addition to the vintage three-door upper-cabinet GE refrigerator. 2019 photo by Colin Flavin
Frey’s original kitchen design included cabinetry with many drawers. In a 1956 newspaper article, he observed that convenience is important for below-counter storage. “Drawers you reach in from the top, but for a cupboard you have to stoop down,” he said. Even in these small details, Frey was sensitive to his 82-year-old client.
Frey’s original kitchen design included cabinetry with many drawers. In a 1956 newspaper article, he observed that convenience is important for below-counter storage. “Drawers you reach in from the top, but for a cupboard you have to stoop down,” he said. Even in these small details, Frey was sensitive to his 82-year-old client.
New Douglas fir veneer plywood was selected and stained to perfectly match the original. 2019 photo by Colin Flavin
Douglas fir veneer plywood panels in need of replacement covered the interior walls and kitchen cabinets. Vugrin describes visiting lumber yards as far away as San Diego and Los Angeles and going through hundreds of sheets of plywood to find a close match to the wood grain of the original.
Vugrin found finished wood hidden behind a cabinet that hadn’t been exposed to UV rays and retained its original, unfaded color. On the new wood, Vugrin used five coats of stain to match the original finish. Portions of intact original paneling were used to repair the smaller kitchen cabinets.
Douglas fir veneer plywood panels in need of replacement covered the interior walls and kitchen cabinets. Vugrin describes visiting lumber yards as far away as San Diego and Los Angeles and going through hundreds of sheets of plywood to find a close match to the wood grain of the original.
Vugrin found finished wood hidden behind a cabinet that hadn’t been exposed to UV rays and retained its original, unfaded color. On the new wood, Vugrin used five coats of stain to match the original finish. Portions of intact original paneling were used to repair the smaller kitchen cabinets.
The 6-foot-8-inch ceiling provides an intimate passage to the master bedroom and conceals ductwork above. 2019 photo by Colin Flavin
The Master Bedroom and Bathroom
Frey was masterful in creating privacy for bedroom and bathroom spaces. The master suite is accessed down a corridor with a lowered ceiling, which creates an intimate buffer between the public and private spaces. The lower ceiling also conceals the heating and cooling ductwork.
The Master Bedroom and Bathroom
Frey was masterful in creating privacy for bedroom and bathroom spaces. The master suite is accessed down a corridor with a lowered ceiling, which creates an intimate buffer between the public and private spaces. The lower ceiling also conceals the heating and cooling ductwork.
Photo by Lance Gerber
Frey tucked in the master bedroom at the end of the hall, at the west end of the house. The corner windows offer a view of the San Jacinto Mountains in the distance.
Vugrin discovered and rebuilt the master bedroom door on the left. It apparently had been covered over with paneling during an earlier remodel.
Frey tucked in the master bedroom at the end of the hall, at the west end of the house. The corner windows offer a view of the San Jacinto Mountains in the distance.
Vugrin discovered and rebuilt the master bedroom door on the left. It apparently had been covered over with paneling during an earlier remodel.
Photo by Colin Flavin
The master bathroom, pictured in 2019, features the original tile, plumbing fixtures and built-in medicine cabinet. All were restored by Vugrin. The recessed tissue paper holder is a classic.
Vugrin describes the original porcelain bathroom fixtures as “looking like a crime scene” when he first saw them, as years of leaking plumbing had left rusty residue on the surfaces. Instead of replacing them, he bleached out the stains with a vinegar solution.
The original Crane plumbing fixtures were taken apart, their innards repaired and exposed parts replated with chrome. After a thorough cleaning and regrouting, the original green tile looks like new.
The master bathroom, pictured in 2019, features the original tile, plumbing fixtures and built-in medicine cabinet. All were restored by Vugrin. The recessed tissue paper holder is a classic.
Vugrin describes the original porcelain bathroom fixtures as “looking like a crime scene” when he first saw them, as years of leaking plumbing had left rusty residue on the surfaces. Instead of replacing them, he bleached out the stains with a vinegar solution.
The original Crane plumbing fixtures were taken apart, their innards repaired and exposed parts replated with chrome. After a thorough cleaning and regrouting, the original green tile looks like new.
The deck, sheathed in yellow fiberglass, doubles as cover for the carport. 2019 photo by Colin Flavin
The Floating Deck
The 800-square-foot rectangular deck is built with standard building materials, but in Frey’s hands it became the focal point of the house.
Supported on slender pilotis, the deck juts dramatically to the north with spectacular views over the Coachella Valley. It not only doubles the entertainment space of the house, but also forms the roof of the carport below.
The Floating Deck
The 800-square-foot rectangular deck is built with standard building materials, but in Frey’s hands it became the focal point of the house.
Supported on slender pilotis, the deck juts dramatically to the north with spectacular views over the Coachella Valley. It not only doubles the entertainment space of the house, but also forms the roof of the carport below.
Photo by Colin Flavin
While reviewing vintage photographs, Vugrin realized that the drab green-painted guardrail might be something special. He uncovered the original yellow corrugated fiberglass under several layers of paint, seen here during the renovation’s reveal to the public at 2019’s Modernism Week.
The yellow of the railing matches the color of the blossoming Encelia flowers. The appearance is dramatic when seen from the highway below, with the sun backlighting the fiberglass. Vugrin describes it as “like a yellow highlighter in the sky.”
The roof extends 8 feet over the deck, providing cover against the harsh sun and occasional rain. The underside of the overhang, or soffit, is gray aluminum, which glows with the reflected yellow from the railing.
While reviewing vintage photographs, Vugrin realized that the drab green-painted guardrail might be something special. He uncovered the original yellow corrugated fiberglass under several layers of paint, seen here during the renovation’s reveal to the public at 2019’s Modernism Week.
The yellow of the railing matches the color of the blossoming Encelia flowers. The appearance is dramatic when seen from the highway below, with the sun backlighting the fiberglass. Vugrin describes it as “like a yellow highlighter in the sky.”
The roof extends 8 feet over the deck, providing cover against the harsh sun and occasional rain. The underside of the overhang, or soffit, is gray aluminum, which glows with the reflected yellow from the railing.
This 3D computer rendering illustrates the dramatic yellow deck and roof overhangs springing from the massive chimney.
The translucent railing was a clever choice because it covers the unsightly wood deck framing seen on many decks. And it couldn’t be more simple: A 1-inch galvanized metal tube forms the frame, and the corrugated fiberglass is attached with flat-head screws.
The translucent railing was a clever choice because it covers the unsightly wood deck framing seen on many decks. And it couldn’t be more simple: A 1-inch galvanized metal tube forms the frame, and the corrugated fiberglass is attached with flat-head screws.
2019 photo by Colin Flavin
Vugrin designed and built a terrace on the southeast corner of the house, where previously there was a sloping dusty plot. The terrace is contained within a semicircular stone wall that’s at a perfect height for sitting. This terrace, so beautifully anchored to the rocky hill, provides a great place to enjoy a cup of coffee and creates a poetic contrast to Frey’s jutting deck to the north.
Vugrin designed and built a terrace on the southeast corner of the house, where previously there was a sloping dusty plot. The terrace is contained within a semicircular stone wall that’s at a perfect height for sitting. This terrace, so beautifully anchored to the rocky hill, provides a great place to enjoy a cup of coffee and creates a poetic contrast to Frey’s jutting deck to the north.
Photo by Colin Flavin
Vugrin also fabricated a new clock and presented it as a gift to Harris. He restored the vintage GE clockface and custom-made the star-like fins. The clock, seen here in 2019 in the home’s kitchen, is a fitting symbol of Harris’ and Vugrin’s passion for the home, and mutual respect for the great modernist Albert Frey.
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Vugrin also fabricated a new clock and presented it as a gift to Harris. He restored the vintage GE clockface and custom-made the star-like fins. The clock, seen here in 2019 in the home’s kitchen, is a fitting symbol of Harris’ and Vugrin’s passion for the home, and mutual respect for the great modernist Albert Frey.
More on Houzz
Learn about other historic homes
Find an architect near you
Shop for modern-style home products
House at a Glance
Location: Between Palm Springs and Cathedral City, California
Size: 1,300 square feet (121 square meters)
Architect: Albert Frey