To kick off this tiki section in Palm Springs, here are some of the tiki
homes from the area. Many thanks to Jon for the photo contributions and
the text below.
"Tiki Home"
Palm Springs, CA Photo courtesy Jon
A little about the houses: all the tiki homes you see here were constructed
by the Alexander Construction
Company -- the company responsible for building the majority of Palm Springs' mid-century modern homes. Though
I am still performing research on the subject, I am currently attributing
these home designs to the architect Don Wexler who was also responsible for the Royal Hawaiian Estates -- another tiki-style
condo complex in Palm Springs.
Unlike most Alexander homes, the tiki style homes pictured here have larger
floor plans: each was originally approximately 1800 square feet. The homes
run up and down two streets only: Lakeside Drive and a portion of Pebble
Beach. The tiki homes are one of three architectural styles that are repeated
in the neighborhood.
"Destroyed"
Palm Springs, CA Photo courtesy Jon
The tiki home titled "destroyed" was bulldozed just a month
ago. It was the only tiki style home on the block featuring lava rock
masonry. Only four others remain in various compromised states, and only
one (titled "grey") maintains the jutting beams coming from
the tip of its A-frame. The other homes have tragically sawed
most of their beams off. I have convinced the grey-home owner to keep
the beams, however. (He had been planning to to remove them due to the
mess perching birds make.) Many owners have added gates, which are not
original features of the homes and also "mansionized" the interiors
by adding new rooms/floor space
Lakeside Drive/Pebble Beach are just off of Gene Autry and Highway 111.
If you are coming down Gene Autry towards 111, make a left onto Waverly,
left on Brentwood, and then right on Lakeside. Lakeside eventually turns
into Pebble Beach.
Caliente Tropics
Palm Springs, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
The Caliente Tropics Resort in Palm Springs, CA is one of the last remaining tiki styled treasures left in the area.