The architects who built Palm Springs: William Pereira
While contributing only a few seminal projects to Palm Springs, Pereira (1909-85) defined the town’s rich architectural heritage. Pereira’s most famous scheme in the area is arguably Palm Spring’s J. W. Robinson’s Department Store, a large-scale structure in the centre of town, on South Palm Canyon Drive.
The architecture and career of American modernist William Pereira (1909-85) has been long celebrated and well documented. After founding William L. Pereira & Associates in Los Angeles in 1958, Pereira went on to become widely recognised for a series of iconic buildings – with an impressive 400-or-so structures in total to his name. Examples include several university masterplans and buildings (including the distinctly brutalist Geisel library), multiple expansions to the Los Angeles International Airport, as well as its signature Googie-style Theme Building, the original three buildings of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Disneyland Hotel, and the Transamerica tower in San Francisco.
Almost inevitably – since Palm Springs became the nexus of aspirational celebrity life and modern architecture in the second half of the 20th century – Chicago-born Pereira was soon drawn to the Coachella Valley. And although he completed only a few seminal projects they came to define the small town’s rich architectural heritage. It was there that his style adapted and evolved, with landmark buildings drawing from the landscape and the spirit of desert modernism.
Pereira's most famous scheme in the area is arguably Palm Spring’s J. W. Robinson's Department Store, a large-scale structure in the centre of town, on South Palm Canyon Drive. Easily identifiable by its modernist pavilion style appearance, and built on land purchased from Palm Springs pioneer Pearl McManus, this retail building was designed by Pereira (under his then-partnership with Charles Luckman) in 1958 and has since been voted a Class 1 Historic Site.
Pereira’s expressive style is evident here in the flat roof that becomes decorative through a strong, diamond-shaped pattern. The architect has been known for his love of science fiction, which is often reflected in his work, such as in the aforementioned Geisel Library. Ziggurats and pyramids feature highly in his work, which is almost always dramatic, with recurring tropes strong geometric forms, pedestals and water elements.
Another key example includes the majestic Palm Springs Convention Centre, which was designed in the 1970s and draws on the tall, rocky shapes of the site’s San Jacinto Mountains backdrop – it has since been extended by Fentress Architects in 2005. It is here that the annual Modernism Week Show & Sale takes place, this year encompassing around 85 select dealers of midcentury modern furniture, art and products (15-18 February 2019).
Pereira may not have been as prolific in Palm Springs as some of his contemporaries who flourished there, architects such as Hugh Kaptur, Donald Wexler and William Krisel. Yet his contribution to this modernist desert town must not be underestimated, most of his projects have become instant landmarks in the architectural landscape, making this American architect one of Palm Springs’ defining creatives.
INFORMATION
For more information visit the Palm Springs Modernism Week website
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Wallpaper* checks in at the refreshed W Hollywood: ‘more polish and less party’
The W Hollywood introduces a top-to-bottom reimagining by the Rockwell Group, capturing the genuine warmth and spirit of Southern California
By Carole Dixon Published
-
Book a table at Row on 5 in London for the dinner party of dreams
Row on 5, located on the storied Savile Row, emerges as a perfectly tailored fit for fans of fine dining
By Ben McCormack Published
-
How a bijou jewellery salon in Monaco set the jewellery trends for 2025
Inside the inaugural edition of Joya, where jewellery is celebrated as miniature works of art
By Jean Grogan Published
-
A revamped Edinburgh apartment combines Californian-style modernism with modern craft
Archer + Braun have transformed an apartment in a historic house with finely tuned contemporary additions and sympathetic attention to detail
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
A vacant Tribeca penthouse is transformed into a bright, contemporary eyrie
A Tribeca penthouse is elevated by Peterson Rich Office, who redesigned it by adding a sculptural staircase and openings to the large terrace
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
We walk through Luther George Park and its new undulating pavilion
Luther George Park by Trahan Architects and landscape architects Spackman Mossop Michaels opens to the public, showcasing a striking new pavilion installation – take a first look
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A vibrant new waterfront park opens in San Francisco
A waterfront park by leading studio Scape at China Basin provides dynamic public spaces and coastal resilience for San Francisco's new district of Mission Rock
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Tekαkαpimək Contact Station: a building ‘as inspiring as the endless forest and waterways of the land’
The new Tekαkαpimək Contact Station by Saunders Architecture with Reed Hilderbrand and Alisberg Parker Architects, opens at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in the USA
By Beth Broome Published
-
Entelechy II: architect John Portman's majestic beach home hits the market
Entelechy II, architect John Portman's beach residence in Georgia, USA, goes on the market; roll up, roll up for a home that is as grand as it is playful
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
First look: Honolulu's Victoria Place blends cosmopolitan living with Hawaii life and nature
Victoria Place is a new residential tower at Honolulu's Ward Village; take a first look at its interiors
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A look inside the home of George Homsey, one of the fathers of pioneering California modernist community Sea Ranch
George Homsey's home opens for the first time since his death, in 2019; see where the architect behind some of the designs for Sea Ranch, the pioneering California modernist community, lived
By Ellie Stathaki Published