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William Krisel’s Twin Palms: A Modern American Dream
This innovative Palm Springs housing development turns 60 this year. See why it’s as relevant as ever.
The year 2018 marks the 60th anniversary of the completion of architect William Krisel’s crowning achievement: Twin Palms, a subdivision of 90 homes on the south side of Palm Springs, in the California desert. The project was the perfect marriage between a progressive builder and a master architect, both intent on creating a new type of residential development that appealed to the burgeoning middle class after World War II. “It was the end result of everything I wanted to do,” Krisel said.
The homes in the Twin Palms development were all slightly different as a result of differing rooflines and clever site arrangement. The exterior colors varied from house to house, but they all complemented the desert environment. Photo by Henry Connell
Modern Design for the Masses in Palm Springs
Before World War II, Palm Springs was known as a getaway for celebrities and wealthy socialites. But as the middle class burgeoned after the war, families of more modest means were also looking for second homes. Alexander Construction, already a successful home builder in Los Angeles, arrived in Palm Springs in 1955. Shortly thereafter, the company purchased a tract of land on the southern edge of the city. It hired Krisel to design the housing development.
The Alexanders challenged Krisel to create a modern subdivision. Prior to Twin Palms, virtually all housing tracts of the time consisted of cookie-cutter ranch-style houses. The Alexanders had seen the modern house Krisel had built for himself in L.A.’s Brentwood neighborhood, featuring exposed post-and-beam construction and walls of glass that blurred the lines between indoors and out. Krisel had worked with the Alexanders on tract projects in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, where he demonstrated his skill at creating modern designs that were also efficient to build.
Together — the Alexanders with their expertise in land acquisition and frugal construction and Krisel with his holistic approach to modern design — the team was able to offer buyers an affordable, modern American dream. The development known as Twin Palms was built in phases from 1956 to 1958 — and became the first successful modern-home subdivision in Palm Springs.
Modern Design for the Masses in Palm Springs
Before World War II, Palm Springs was known as a getaway for celebrities and wealthy socialites. But as the middle class burgeoned after the war, families of more modest means were also looking for second homes. Alexander Construction, already a successful home builder in Los Angeles, arrived in Palm Springs in 1955. Shortly thereafter, the company purchased a tract of land on the southern edge of the city. It hired Krisel to design the housing development.
The Alexanders challenged Krisel to create a modern subdivision. Prior to Twin Palms, virtually all housing tracts of the time consisted of cookie-cutter ranch-style houses. The Alexanders had seen the modern house Krisel had built for himself in L.A.’s Brentwood neighborhood, featuring exposed post-and-beam construction and walls of glass that blurred the lines between indoors and out. Krisel had worked with the Alexanders on tract projects in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, where he demonstrated his skill at creating modern designs that were also efficient to build.
Together — the Alexanders with their expertise in land acquisition and frugal construction and Krisel with his holistic approach to modern design — the team was able to offer buyers an affordable, modern American dream. The development known as Twin Palms was built in phases from 1956 to 1958 — and became the first successful modern-home subdivision in Palm Springs.
Each house in the development had a 40-by-40-foot floor plan. The plans were considered relatively generous in their day and included three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The compactness and economy of the construction reflects the influence of Alexander Construction Co.
Repetition Without Monotony
To achieve economy, Krisel stuck to a few key design principles. By using the same 40-by-40-foot floor plan 90 times, the speed of construction was greatly increased. One can imagine the efficiency gained with the foundations, for example, with the crew having to learn the layout just once and then repeat it. By using the same plan, Krisel could also make the most of off-site prefabricated components, such as kitchens and door assemblies.
The square floor plan was ingenious because it allowed Krisel to rotate the plan 90 degrees on adjoining lots. Varying the position of the entrance in relation to the street gave a unique appearance to each house. He also used an exposed post-and-beam construction system that not only created a strikingly modern appearance but also made for the most efficient use of materials and labor.
Repetition Without Monotony
To achieve economy, Krisel stuck to a few key design principles. By using the same 40-by-40-foot floor plan 90 times, the speed of construction was greatly increased. One can imagine the efficiency gained with the foundations, for example, with the crew having to learn the layout just once and then repeat it. By using the same plan, Krisel could also make the most of off-site prefabricated components, such as kitchens and door assemblies.
The square floor plan was ingenious because it allowed Krisel to rotate the plan 90 degrees on adjoining lots. Varying the position of the entrance in relation to the street gave a unique appearance to each house. He also used an exposed post-and-beam construction system that not only created a strikingly modern appearance but also made for the most efficient use of materials and labor.
Floor Plans
Left courtyard entry plan. The house is entered via a courtyard on the left side, with the carport to the left and the pool directly behind the house. In the elevation drawing, the floating butterfly roof faces the street.
Left courtyard entry plan. The house is entered via a courtyard on the left side, with the carport to the left and the pool directly behind the house. In the elevation drawing, the floating butterfly roof faces the street.
Front entry plan. In this model, the front door directly faces the street, in a more traditional relationship. The pool is to the left of the house, directly behind the carport. The elevation drawing shows the roof in a gable shape.
Right courtyard entry plan. The house is entered via a courtyard on the right side, with the carport to the right and the pool directly behind the house. In the elevation drawing, the extended butterfly roof joins the carport and house.
The pool is behind the carport and steps from the living-dining room in the front entry plan.
Holistic Design
Krisel was an architect as well as a licensed practicing landscape architect, having studied with the great landscape architect Garrett Eckbo. His knowledge of landscape design gave him a unique perspective on thinking about the property as a whole, and he sought to utilize every square inch of land in each of the 10,000-square-foot lots of Twin Palms.
In addition to the 1,600-square-foot house, each property in the development had a carport, a breezeway connecting the house to the carport and a swimming pool. These features became the building blocks of the site plan, and by arranging them differently, Krisel was able to add diversity of appearance and make each home feel custom.
Krisel’s total-site design approach even extended to planting. He placed a pair of palm trees on each property, which ultimately led to the tract being referred to as Twin Palms.
Holistic Design
Krisel was an architect as well as a licensed practicing landscape architect, having studied with the great landscape architect Garrett Eckbo. His knowledge of landscape design gave him a unique perspective on thinking about the property as a whole, and he sought to utilize every square inch of land in each of the 10,000-square-foot lots of Twin Palms.
In addition to the 1,600-square-foot house, each property in the development had a carport, a breezeway connecting the house to the carport and a swimming pool. These features became the building blocks of the site plan, and by arranging them differently, Krisel was able to add diversity of appearance and make each home feel custom.
Krisel’s total-site design approach even extended to planting. He placed a pair of palm trees on each property, which ultimately led to the tract being referred to as Twin Palms.
The courtyard of Deborah Rumens and Mike Lee’s home in Twin Palms.
The contained courtyard entrances provided an intimate and private area to inspire the owners’ gardening interest.
The contained courtyard entrances provided an intimate and private area to inspire the owners’ gardening interest.
In this courtyard, Krisel used a linear trellis to filter sunlight.
The expanse of glass in a bedroom of the Rumens-Lee house creates a seamless indoor-outdoor connection.
Flowing Spaces, Inside and Out
Though the floor plan is square, it doesn’t feel boxy. The post-and-beam construction that supports the roof allows for large areas of flowing space within the house. The structural system also permitted large windows, clerestory windows and sliding glass doors, connecting the interiors to the gardens. The construction method also allowed all interior walls to be non-load-bearing, a great advantage for future owners who wanted to remove or change a wall.
Flowing Spaces, Inside and Out
Though the floor plan is square, it doesn’t feel boxy. The post-and-beam construction that supports the roof allows for large areas of flowing space within the house. The structural system also permitted large windows, clerestory windows and sliding glass doors, connecting the interiors to the gardens. The construction method also allowed all interior walls to be non-load-bearing, a great advantage for future owners who wanted to remove or change a wall.
Soaring rooflines give these single-story homes presence.
Different Soaring Rooflines
Perhaps the most memorable features of Twin Palms are the various playful rooflines. Once again, the square floor plan is a stroke of genius: Because it doesn’t favor a particular style or direction of roof, as a rectangular floor plan does — with the ridge of the roof naturally following the long side of the plan — Krisel was able to vary the style and slope of the roof on each home, giving one a butterfly roof, another a gable roof, one a slanted roof, another an extended butterfly roof.
In standard home design, air-conditioning ductwork and other services run through an attic space formed between the ceiling and the underside of the roof rafters. Ingeniously, Krisel located all the plumbing lines and air-conditioning ducts in the concrete floor slab. This allowed him to vary the roof design from home to home without affecting those systems.
Also, by removing the ductwork from the space below the roof, the roof structure could be left visible in the home. Exposed structure was something seen in custom homes for the wealthy but never before in tract houses.
Different Soaring Rooflines
Perhaps the most memorable features of Twin Palms are the various playful rooflines. Once again, the square floor plan is a stroke of genius: Because it doesn’t favor a particular style or direction of roof, as a rectangular floor plan does — with the ridge of the roof naturally following the long side of the plan — Krisel was able to vary the style and slope of the roof on each home, giving one a butterfly roof, another a gable roof, one a slanted roof, another an extended butterfly roof.
In standard home design, air-conditioning ductwork and other services run through an attic space formed between the ceiling and the underside of the roof rafters. Ingeniously, Krisel located all the plumbing lines and air-conditioning ducts in the concrete floor slab. This allowed him to vary the roof design from home to home without affecting those systems.
Also, by removing the ductwork from the space below the roof, the roof structure could be left visible in the home. Exposed structure was something seen in custom homes for the wealthy but never before in tract houses.
The roof of the Rumens-Lee house makes a dramatic silhouette against the blue sky of Palm Springs.
Butterfly roof. This roof design seems to defy gravity, as it sweeps up from a low point near the middle of the house. Here, the low point is centered over the dining area and projects up toward the kitchen and living room, creating dramatic variation in ceiling height and ceiling pitch within the same space. The roof is supported on only four beams.
Krisel extended the exterior walls at a height of just 7 feet and placed a continuous row of clerestory windows between the top of the walls and the roof. The roof literally springs free of the walls, creating a lightness to the home. In the master bedroom, the 7-foot exterior wall provides privacy while loads of natural light comes in through the clerestory windows.
Krisel was taking advantage of Palm Springs’ desert environment. This style of roof is a real headache in colder climates, where ice dams form and snow can drift in the roof’s low point.
Butterfly roof. This roof design seems to defy gravity, as it sweeps up from a low point near the middle of the house. Here, the low point is centered over the dining area and projects up toward the kitchen and living room, creating dramatic variation in ceiling height and ceiling pitch within the same space. The roof is supported on only four beams.
Krisel extended the exterior walls at a height of just 7 feet and placed a continuous row of clerestory windows between the top of the walls and the roof. The roof literally springs free of the walls, creating a lightness to the home. In the master bedroom, the 7-foot exterior wall provides privacy while loads of natural light comes in through the clerestory windows.
Krisel was taking advantage of Palm Springs’ desert environment. This style of roof is a real headache in colder climates, where ice dams form and snow can drift in the roof’s low point.
The street view of a house with a front entry and gable roof.
Gable roof. The gable is a common roof form, but in the hands of Krisel it became dynamic, seeming to float above the home. As with the butterfly roof, the exterior walls extend at just 7 feet in height, with glass occupying the gable end, bringing in natural light and views of the San Jacinto Mountains.
Gable roof. The gable is a common roof form, but in the hands of Krisel it became dynamic, seeming to float above the home. As with the butterfly roof, the exterior walls extend at just 7 feet in height, with glass occupying the gable end, bringing in natural light and views of the San Jacinto Mountains.
The living room of a house with a gable roof.
In this gable-roof home, the living room ceiling has a simple slope, reminiscent of a ski lodge, with the original stone fireplace adding to the mountain vibe.
In this gable-roof home, the living room ceiling has a simple slope, reminiscent of a ski lodge, with the original stone fireplace adding to the mountain vibe.
The slanted roof of this house meets the slanted roof of the garage, creating the appearance of a much larger house.
Extended butterfly roof. This was a popular roof shape throughout the midcentury period, with the roof a simple tilted plane sloping from a low point of 7 feet to a high point of 12 feet. Krisel made an interesting variation on this by pitching the house roof and carport roofs down toward each other, so the roofs meet over the breezeway. He called this the extended butterfly, and it gave the appearance of an even larger butterfly roof.
Extended butterfly roof. This was a popular roof shape throughout the midcentury period, with the roof a simple tilted plane sloping from a low point of 7 feet to a high point of 12 feet. Krisel made an interesting variation on this by pitching the house roof and carport roofs down toward each other, so the roofs meet over the breezeway. He called this the extended butterfly, and it gave the appearance of an even larger butterfly roof.
Another view of the extended butterfly seen from the backyard of the same home. The mountains are perfectly framed between the two roof wings.
21st-Century Updates in 2 Twin Palms Homes
So many features of the Twin Palms homes suit today’s lifestyles, including their open living and dining areas, the embrace of indoor-outdoor living and the fact that everything is on one floor. Even the bedrooms were generous for their era, with the master measuring 13 by 18 feet and the guest bedroom 12½ by 13 feet. A few elements of the house, however, could use a makeover. Here are two examples of Krisel homes that have undergone renovations for 21st-century living.
1. Renovated with the assistance of Krisel. As originally built, all kitchens in Twin Palms were fully enclosed by walls. The kitchen was seen strictly as a work zone and not part of the family or entertaining space. In many of the development’s renovated homes, the wall between the kitchen has been removed and the kitchen completely updated.
For Chris Menrad’s kitchen renovation, seen here, a peninsula replaces what had been a wall, with bar seating on the dining area side. The peg board cabinet doors and delicate steel accents on the cabinetry bring back the 1950s vibe.
So many features of the Twin Palms homes suit today’s lifestyles, including their open living and dining areas, the embrace of indoor-outdoor living and the fact that everything is on one floor. Even the bedrooms were generous for their era, with the master measuring 13 by 18 feet and the guest bedroom 12½ by 13 feet. A few elements of the house, however, could use a makeover. Here are two examples of Krisel homes that have undergone renovations for 21st-century living.
1. Renovated with the assistance of Krisel. As originally built, all kitchens in Twin Palms were fully enclosed by walls. The kitchen was seen strictly as a work zone and not part of the family or entertaining space. In many of the development’s renovated homes, the wall between the kitchen has been removed and the kitchen completely updated.
For Chris Menrad’s kitchen renovation, seen here, a peninsula replaces what had been a wall, with bar seating on the dining area side. The peg board cabinet doors and delicate steel accents on the cabinetry bring back the 1950s vibe.
Another view of the kitchen renovation by Menrad. He respected the original architecture by hanging the wall cabinets just below the clerestory window, preserving the flow of natural light.
Krisel’s design for the front yard of the Menrad residence recalls the colorful gardens of Garrett Eckbo.
Menrad asked Krisel to consult on the 2007 renovation. Though Krisel was semiretired at the time, he ultimately decided to help out.
In addition to sharing the home’s original details and color scheme, Krisel designed a spectacular front yard that responds to the existing palm trees and the home’s geometry. The design’s drought-resistant materials are attuned to the desert environment. One can see the influence of Eckbo in the overlapping curves, accentuated by contrasting gravel and a few well-placed cactuses.
Krisel’s wife, Corinne, later thanked Menrad for engaging Krisel in the project, Menrad says, as she saw how happy it made him to design again. Krisel died 10 years later, in 2017.
Menrad asked Krisel to consult on the 2007 renovation. Though Krisel was semiretired at the time, he ultimately decided to help out.
In addition to sharing the home’s original details and color scheme, Krisel designed a spectacular front yard that responds to the existing palm trees and the home’s geometry. The design’s drought-resistant materials are attuned to the desert environment. One can see the influence of Eckbo in the overlapping curves, accentuated by contrasting gravel and a few well-placed cactuses.
Krisel’s wife, Corinne, later thanked Menrad for engaging Krisel in the project, Menrad says, as she saw how happy it made him to design again. Krisel died 10 years later, in 2017.
The deep brown beams provide a striking contrast to the white ceiling in the Menrad residence living room.
Krisel prepared several options for painting the interior and exterior of each house, from which owners could choose. The paint was in earth tones, meant to complement the desert landscape.
Menrad worked with Krisel to replicate the original color palette for the renovation of his own home. A deep brown was used on the structural beam, which sharply contrasts with the ceiling color, calling attention to the bones of the house.
Krisel prepared several options for painting the interior and exterior of each house, from which owners could choose. The paint was in earth tones, meant to complement the desert landscape.
Menrad worked with Krisel to replicate the original color palette for the renovation of his own home. A deep brown was used on the structural beam, which sharply contrasts with the ceiling color, calling attention to the bones of the house.
The ceiling, beams and walls in the living room of the Rumens-Lee house are painted white, highlighting the structure in a subtle way and providing a backdrop for the owners’ art collection.
2. Brightened and lightened by an interior designer couple. Interior designers Deborah Rumens and Mike Lee chose a different design path for the renovation of their residence in Twin Palms, painting the beams, ceiling and walls a pure white that contrasts with the light gray of the polished concrete floor.
2. Brightened and lightened by an interior designer couple. Interior designers Deborah Rumens and Mike Lee chose a different design path for the renovation of their residence in Twin Palms, painting the beams, ceiling and walls a pure white that contrasts with the light gray of the polished concrete floor.
The Rumens-Lee house’s concrete floor.
The original development featured shag carpeting in the principal rooms of the house. Beneath the carpet was the concrete slab subfloor.
In the Rumens-Lee renovation, the homeowners removed the carpeting, ground down the concrete slab to a smooth finish and then sealed it. The durable floor is particularly comfortable on a hot summer day.
The original development featured shag carpeting in the principal rooms of the house. Beneath the carpet was the concrete slab subfloor.
In the Rumens-Lee renovation, the homeowners removed the carpeting, ground down the concrete slab to a smooth finish and then sealed it. The durable floor is particularly comfortable on a hot summer day.
An enlarged and updated bathroom in the Rumens-Lee house.
The original master bathroom in a Twin Palms home measured 5 by 7 feet, far smaller than the palatial bathrooms we’ve grown accustomed to. Rumens and Lee expanded their bathroom into the adjacent atrium space so that it’s now 5 by 12 feet. They also updated the fixtures and finishes.
The original master bathroom in a Twin Palms home measured 5 by 7 feet, far smaller than the palatial bathrooms we’ve grown accustomed to. Rumens and Lee expanded their bathroom into the adjacent atrium space so that it’s now 5 by 12 feet. They also updated the fixtures and finishes.
A bedroom in the Rumens-Lee house.
The soaring butterfly roof seems to float over the bed. With the white ceiling and wood paneling, Rumens and Lee created a striking contrast that accentuates Krisel’s design.
This space in particular captures Krisel’s genius — a perfect balance of privacy, natural light and mountain view.
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The soaring butterfly roof seems to float over the bed. With the white ceiling and wood paneling, Rumens and Lee created a striking contrast that accentuates Krisel’s design.
This space in particular captures Krisel’s genius — a perfect balance of privacy, natural light and mountain view.
More
Midcentury Marvel: Is That a Pool in the Living Room?
Rare Modernist Home Uncovered in Palm Springs
Learn about more iconic homes’ history and architecture
A Modernist for Southern California’s Postwar Middle Class
William Krisel was born in Shanghai in 1924 and moved to Southern California as a child when his father took a job in film distribution. He attended architectural school at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he met Robert Alexander, a classmate and son of large-scale residential developer George Alexander. Krisel’s studies were interrupted while he served overseas in China during World War II; he resumed his studies after the war and graduated in 1949.
Upon his return to the United States, Krisel became aware of the acute housing shortage in Southern California. Robert and George Alexander, of Alexander Construction Co., whom Krisel would soon work with, had the know-how to economically mass-construct the houses needed by returning GIs and their families. These themes played out in the career of Krisel, who rejected the elite role typically assigned to architects.
Unlike some of his peers in Southern California, including Richard Neutra and Donald Wexler, Krisel found designing custom homes for the wealthy tiresome. Within a year of starting his architectural practice with partner Dan Palmer, he was consistently working with developers on tract-style housing. He found that having one client for hundreds of houses suited him better than one client per house.
Unlike the monotony usually associated with housing tracts, Krisel’s designs had modern flair. In the early 1950s, he started working with the Alexanders on tract-home projects in Southern California. He began to perfect his technique of combining a standard floor plan base with various options, much like the auto industry does with cars. The strategy allowed for a sense of individuality in a tract of dozens of houses.