Nothing says Palm Springs more than the desert views, glazed expanses, striking cantilever and low-rise, linear forms of this steel and concrete Guardhouse in the city’s Desert Palisades neighbourhood. Designed by California’s prolific contemporary architect Sean Lockyer of Studio AR&D, this bold structure was conceived as a gateway to the Desert Palisades residential development.
Lockyer wanted the structure to reflect the calibre of the homes intended to be built there and aimed to balance his design with the raw and rugged terrain around them. This way, the Guardhouse connects with ease with both the built environment, and the desert.
A big part of the structure is clad in weathered steel.
A boulder on site was a key reference in the design, the roof nodding to it but not quite physically touching it, symbolising in a neat and legible way this dialogue between the natural and the manmade.
RELATED STORY
‘The materials used for the exterior and interior of the Guardhouse were methodically chosen to not only represent strength and durability, but to also complement the surrounding Palm Springs desert hillside.
The exterior materials – steel, board-formed concrete, and wood – flow into the interior separated by frameless glass, allowing for a seamless indoor outdoor aesthetic', say the architects.
Sitting on the slopes of a hillside just on the edges of town, the Guardhouse offers long views of the Coachella Valley city, which is known for its unique constellation of modernist buildings; a heritage that is celebrated extensively during this month's Palm Springs Modernism Week and the popular Palm Springs Modernism Tours.
The Desert Palisades Guardhouse was featured as the location for the March 2019 (W*240) fashion shoot by Joachim Mueller Ruchholtz
Photographer Joachim Mueller Ruchholtz shot a fashion story at the Desert Palisades Guardhouse for W*240 (March 2019), fashion directed by Isabelle Kountoure.
The structure acts as a gatehouse to the development, which is currently in design or under construction.
A low volume and its impressive roof overhang are a perfect representation of the region's architecture.
Steel is complemented by glass and concrete.
Large glazed openings ensure inside and outside merge.
A lounge area inside serves as a waiting area to sit and relax.
A boulder on site was used for the design and references the surrounding rocky desert nature.
INFORMATION
Palm Springs Modernism Week runs 14-24 February 2019. For more information visit the festival website and the Studio AR&D Architects website
-
Jack White's Third Man Records opens a Paris pop-upJack White's immaculately-branded record store will set up shop in the 9th arrondissement this weekend
-
Designer Marta de la Rica’s elegant Madrid studio is full of perfectly-pitched contradictionsThe studio, or ‘the laboratory’ as de la Rica and her team call it, plays with colour, texture and scale in eminently rewarding ways
-
‘Nothing just because it’s beautiful’: Performance artist Marina Abramović on turning her hand to furniture designMarina Abramović has no qualms about describing her segue into design as a ‘domestication’. But, argues the ‘grandmother of performance art’ as she unveils a collection of chairs, something doesn’t have to be provocative to be meaningful
-
This Rocky Mountains house is a ski-lover's dream escapeBozeman, a Rocky Mountains house by Pearson Design Group and Frederick Tang Architecture, is a contemporary retreat that sits low in its natural, Montana setting
-
Take a deep dive into The Palm Springs School ahead of the region’s Modernism WeekNew book ‘The Palm Springs School: Desert Modernism 1934-1975’ is the ultimate guide to exploring the midcentury gems of California, during Palm Springs Modernism Week 2025 and beyond
-
A wavy roof tops this sophisticated take on a backyard cabin in CaliforniaThis Californian Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) by Spiegel Aihara Workshop (SAW), offers an aesthetic and functional answer to housing shortages and multigenerational family living
-
Palm Springs Modernism Week 2025: let the desert architecture party beginPalm Springs Modernism Week 2025 launches on 13 February, marking the popular annual desert event’s 20th anniversary, celebrated this year through more midcentury marvels than ever
-
On the shores of Discovery Bay, this wooden house is the ultimate waterside retreatDekleva Gregorič’s Discovery Bay House is a structured yet organic shelter that blends perfectly into the surrounding Pacific Northwest landscape
-
The 10 emerging American Midwest architects you need to knowWe profile 10 emerging American Midwest architects shaking up the world of architecture - in their territory, and beyond
-
A light-filled New York loft renovation magics up extra space in a deceptively sized homeThis New York loft renovation by local practice BOND is now a warm and welcoming apartment that feels more spacious than it actually is
-
Inside Bell Labs, the modernist vision behind Severance's minimalist settingWe explore the history of Bell Labs - now known as Bell Works - the modernist Eero Saarinen-designed facility in New Jersey, which inspired the dystopian minimalist setting of 'Severance'
