Borrego Modern Weekend II

Many pictures were promised of our weekend Borrego Springs Modern Architectural Tour, so here goes. As a quick recap, the San Diego Save Our Heritage Foundation (SOHO) put together an event involving tours of five notable midcentury homes in the Borrego Springs section of the San Diego desert. Jane and I and our two friends are all fans of vintage design, adore the desert and love peering into stranger's homes, so the event was tailor-made for us.

The event headquarters and concluding cocktail reception took place at The Desert Club, a 1949 landmark by famed Los Angeles architect William Kesling. Eventually eclipsed by the late-60s construction of the de Anza Country Club, this structure sat unused and in a state of disrepair until quite recently, when it was purchased and restored. While sporting a few odd design quirks (including a bathroom with two open-air toilets side by side), the facility offered beautiful views of the surrounding valley and incorporated open space and glass quite effectively.

We worked backwards from the official tour, and started with House #5, the 1956 Harrington Residence, built by an unknown architect but suspected to be the handiwork of Hal Martinez (the tour notes insisted his name was pronounced Martin-eh). Currently unoccupied and for sale or rent (including by the week), this home was a fairly typical ranch from the outside, with a large expanse of desert landscaping. The interior remained fairly authentic to the 1950s, including a vintage kitchen and a limestone fireplace studded with prehistoric fossils. This is one of the few homes I took indoor photographs of, as such activities were frowned upon in the other homes with current occupants.

Our second stop was the 1959 de Anza Fairway Cottage #11, one of several cottages designed around the de Anza Desert Country Club by Richard Zerbe. These structures were difficult to appreciate from the outside, well-hidden by landscaping and design, but the grounds were quite pretty, and the connectedness of the multiple cottages were a pleasant departure from the typical suburban format.

The interior of the de Anza Fairway Cottage seemed to be the most self-consciously retro or vintage of any of the homes we visited, and the table sets and color schemes were right out of an early-60s Palm Springs home magazine.

The Yale Residence, from 1973 and the work of a twenty year-old William Perry, was possibly the most impressive from the outside, and offered a stunning incorporation of natural light, with the result being that one felt at times to be standing outside even while wandering through interior rooms. The pool and courtyard area were equally attractive.

My favorite exterior actually came courtesy of the 1959 Borrego Golf Club Estates home, the work of William Krisel and Hal Martinez. Recently restored to the original design, this lovely little home is currently being used as a "play house" for two Southern Californians, both of whom were present during the tour and offered friendly conversation. The back outdoor area offered a nice transition between the landscaped pool and a wilder desert vegetation plot.

Our final home was the 1958 Givler Residence, from architect Henry Hester. This home offered a near-flawless representation of classic midcentury desert design, with floor to ceiling glass walls on both sides, and an innovative use of its 1,000 square feet. This, to me, was the most perfect example of the intelligent ways architecture can both manipulate and play off its natural surroundings - a home that stands as a refuge from the elements yet co-exists naturally with the scenery.

After a long day under the desert sun, we headed back to the Palms for a quick swim and preparation for the evening cocktail reception.

The mood at the Desert Club was enhanced by the gorgeous sunset views and the excellent cocktails, made to order by individuals who weren't about to water anything down, and knew how to make a fine and crisp Dry Martini.