Say the words ‘Palm Springs Modernism’ in a room full of architects or architecture-lovers and you will receive appreciative nods and sighs, probably some zealous gesticulating. It’s one of the most identifiable, coveted and replicated architectural styles of the last century, but – like any other – the appeal is not just pure principles, but what they represent.
“My attraction to Modernist architecture came from a fascination with the Hollywood icons of the 50s and 60s, particularly the Rat Pack” says John Musca, resident and owner of this sophisticated Bondi home. “The [Modernist] houses symbolised everything I associated with the stars, from martinis by the pool to flamboyant cigarette-in-hand conversations by stone fireplaces, concrete plains and endless glass.”
Palm Springs Modernism is replicated all over the world. Many may be shallow, stylistic treatments that pay no consideration to the formal foundations or philosophical underpinnings of the genre, this Bondi home has depth.
Read the full story in Habitus issue #34, available now.
Andrew Donaldson Architecture & Design
andrewdonaldson.com.au
Words by Nicky Lobo
Photography by Brett Boardman
