Palm Springs
Palm Springs in the California desert is the epicentre of Mid-century Modern. The style exploded after WWII when people began to escape to the desert to relax, hiring European architects to build them homes. They created striking, minimal houses set in the landscape; to my eyes, the lines and composition are brilliant. For decades the style was out of vogue, but since the ’90s, modern pioneers have brought a renaissance to Palm Springs. After my wife and I bought a 1959 home in the area in 2010, I started to explore and to wonder about the people who lived behind the façades. My personal project snowballed into four years of shooting, and a book. It was exciting to meet people so engaged in Mid-century Modern and its preservation – I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a community with a bigger passion. They fell in love with Palm Springs, as everybody does. There’s something magical about the desert, the lifestyle, the culture and the architecture. It’s hard to leave.