b"Top: Kaufmann House, regarded as one of the most significant US house designs of the 20th century (1946)Below: The Tramway Gas Station, now the Palm Springs Visitors Centre, designed by Albert Frey and Robson C. Chambers (1965)Bottom: E.Stewart Williams' Twin Palms, now known as Sinatra House, was commissioned by Frank Sinatra in 1947 and served as his principal Palm Springs residenceButthecitysmostfamoushomewasntbuiltforanactor,rather department-storemagnateEdgarKaufmann,themanwhoalso commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to build the famed Fallingwater in 1936.Designed by Richard Neutra 10 years later, and now revered as one of the most important examples of International Style architecture in the US, Kaufmann House has since been owned by Barry Manilow, sold and refurbished back to its original glory on a US$4 million budget, and sold again in 2008 for US$12.95 million. Its popularity has been reignited by the famous photo Poolside Gossip by Slim Aarons which copies now adorn homes throughout the world.Modern Palm Springs had already become famous as a winter playground for Tinseltown-types when it was incorporated as a city in 1938.The likes of Lloyd Wright (son of Frank Lloyd Wright) had already left his mark with the Oasis Hotel, a modern masterpiece in slip-form concrete designed in 1923.It wasnt until the late 40s, when E. Stewart Williams designed a house for Frank Sinatra, that the mid-century golden age of the party town really fired.At its height in the 1950s and 60s (known today among the history-shy as the Mad Men era), Palm Springs was the go-to party hideaway for U.S. celebs, with nearly every major star visitingLucille Ball to Rock Hudson to Cary Grant and Elvis.Sinatras home was the party pad for the Rat Pack (Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop) when they were in town.A frenzy of activity began as architects and developers alike worked to meet demand for houses in the desert oasis.Enclaves such as The Movie Colony and Las Palmas (that now have their own neighbourhood societies) and resorts such as the Racquet Club all played host to the rich and famous.20SUMMER2019"