Talks, Films, Design Consultations, Libations, and More Will Be Offered
Modernism Week’s CAMP (“Community And Meeting Place”) will provide a central hub for Modernism Week from February 15 – 25, 2024. CAMP will be inside the dramatic and beautifully designed Hyatt Palm Springs on Palm Canyon Drive at 285 N. Palm Canyon Drive with free underground parking. Entrance into CAMP is free and open to the public every day during Modernism Week starting February 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CAMP is also the ‘depot’ for arrivals and departures of all of Modernism Week’s Double Decker Architectural Bus Tours.
Located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs, CAMP will include talks and films, an information desk, the Modernism Week store by Destination PSP, all day food, drinks, and specialty cocktails by Cheeky’s, book signings, and Professional Color Consultations by Dunn-Edwards. On the two Thursday nights of Modernism Week there will be free live bands playing outside of CAMP in the Hyatt’s Hoodoo Lounge. In addition, there will be many interactive sponsor displays including Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, Brizo, JennAir, Dunn-Edwards, Verizon, and FLOR.
“CAMP is the central meeting place for all things modernism,” said David Dixon, CAMP Manager. “Our attendees may discover activities to attend, shop at our Destination PSP outpost, explore design elements for their homes, and relax and commune with fellow modernists. If Palm Springs is the epicenter of modernism, CAMP is the epicenter of Modernism Week.”
Here are a few of the activities available this year at CAMP:
Sponsor Activations
Ferguson will have a major presence again this year at CAMP. At their display space, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery will showcase mod-inspired curated product displays by JennAir, Brizo, and Minka. JennAir continues to break the industry mold through unparalleled design, breakthrough technology, and the quietest industry offerings. At CAMP attendees will be able to explore two distinct design expressions that redefine the high-end kitchen: They will discover the duality of JennAir two full-suite designs, with the traditional yet unconventional RISE™ Design and the sleek, minimalist NOIR™ Design. Brizo will showcase a variety of elevated faucet collections including Frank Lloyd Wright, Levoir, Litze, and many others. Observe an assortment of modern lighting fixtures from Minka Lavery, George Kovacs, and Millennium Lighting. In the space there will also be a photo wall for anyone who wants to take a selfie or group photo as well as a well-appointed lounge area for anyone at CAMP who wants to sit down and relax. Custom Trends and Influences books will be available for customers to take home.
Area rugs in CAMP are provided by FLOR and will feature a new pattern called “Here Comes the Sun,” designed by Trina Turk. Dunn-Edwards Paints will provide professional color advisors to assist attendees in choosing the best color of paint for their projects and Ferguson representatives will be able to discuss products with attendees. Their display will include a digital 3-D element, featuring an LED hologram that will appear to float on air.
On-Site Store
The Modernism Week Shop, a special pop-up store by Destination PSP, will offer a wide range of newly created merchandise that captures the retro vibe of Modernism Week. New products to be showcased include the official 2024 Modernism Week poster designed by celebrated artist SHAG, commemorative 2024 Modernism Week t-shirts, and a line of vintage barware and entertainment accessories. New merchandise to be offered includes a new Tiki-inspired line of apparel and home goods, a selection of vintage airline-inspired merchandise, a new line of retro-inspired wall clocks, and a range of Albert Frey-related merchandise (including apparel, prints, stationery, and a guide to all Palm Springs Frey-designed structures). In addition, Destination PSP will offer a wide range of books including the 25th anniversary edition of Palm Springs Modern, Slim Aarons Essentials, and a book about Trina Turk. The store will also host several book signings, and some signed copies will be available at the pop-up store throughout the festival.
A free architectural exhibition will be on display at CAMP every day called ESSENTIAL CITY which is an artistic interpretation of a futuristic metropolis. It illustrates how we can innovate towards beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive cities that maximize their potential as well-rounded leisure, tourism, and retirement destinations. The exhibition will show how drawing on solutions from the past, reviewing new-urbanist principles and employing new technology can inspire future-proof solutions for the challenges that many desert cities face.
Modernism Week Theater at CAMP Programming
A 150-seat theater adjacent to the main CAMP space will be the location for more than 20 insightful and compelling presentations throughout the festival.
Highlighted presentations include:
- Bar Keeps: A Collection of California’s Best Vintage Cocktail Napkins(2/16, $15) Join author Patrick Quinn for a lively road trip across the Golden State. He’ll share stories, vintage photos, and cocktail napkins from diners to dive bars both famous and forgotten.
- ESSENTIAL CITY: A Futuristic Exploration of Desert Cities(2/16, $15) Desert cities are the frontline of climate change. Welcome to ESSENTIAL CITY, a hypothetical desert city conceived by SOUND SPACE DESIGN Architects and Desert Developments.
- More Than Desert Modern: William F. Cody’s Visions of Postwar Architecture and Leisure Living(2/17, $15) In the Coachella Valley, William F. Cody created new visions of modernism, desert architecture, and postwar living. The authors of Master of the Midcentury illustrate Cody’s indelible imprint.
- The Rebirth of Albert Frey’s Historic 1946 Bel Vista Tract in Palm Springs(2/17, $15) Todd Hays and William LaVoie tell the restoration story of Frey’s 1946 Bel Vista Tract, including a not-to-miss computer recreation drive-through of Bel Vista as it appeared 78 years ago.
- MOD With a TWIST(2/17 – 20, and 2/22 and 2/23, $45) After a few years hiatus, the ever-popular Mod With a TWIST is back. Spend an hour taking in rollicking, irreverent, witty and surprising presentations about unexpected topics from the midcentury.
- Trails and Treasures: Igniting Excitement about Architecture with FORT: LA’s Urban Adventures(2/18, $15) FORT: LA offers an innovative approach to exploring cities. Our maps of architectural treasures, collaborations with artists and academic fellowships are expanding the community of urban adventurers.
- California Cool: Explore Palm Springs and Beyond Through the Modern Paintings of Danny Heller(2/18, $15) Fill your eyes with swaying palm trees, shimmering swimming pools, atomic architecture, and colorful classic cars as artist Danny Heller takes you on a road trip through his retro-focused paintings.
- Bakelite, Bone & Bamboo: The Mystical Chinese Game of Mahjong(2/18, $15) “Click clack” go the tiles. What is this mysterious Chinese game of mahjong? Learn how it’s played, why it’s so popular and explore the thrill of collecting exotic vintage sets.
- Architect Mark W. Daniels, AIA: “Talking to Strangers Only Leads to Good Things” (2/19, $15) Architect Mark W. Daniels, AIA presents an entertaining and informative talk delving into the intricate world of design and the creative process to generate truly unique architectural buildings.
- Meet Modern Pittsburgh: Intersections of Art, Architecture & Design(2/19, $15) A dynamic exploration of mid-20th century Pittsburgh, PA through the lens of the built environment, public art and cultural spaces, presented by Brittany Reilly of the Pittsburgh Modern Committee.
- Material Landscapes: Authenticity, Innovation and Collaboration(2/20, $15) Surfacedesign, Inc. presents a selection of their landscape architecture work that celebrate horticultural exuberance, material authenticity and cultural and ecological narratives that emerge from each site.
- The Unique and Beautiful Sonoran Desert Gardens of Steve Martino, FASLA(2/20, $15) For the past 40 years, the landscape architectural firm of Steve Martino & Associates has been committed to the development and advancement of Landscape Architecture in the Southwest.
- Meet the Architects Who Saved the 1931 Aluminaire House(2/21, $15) Michael Schwarting and Frances Campani saved the 1931 Aluminaire House from the scrap heap, cared decades for its existence, and gifted the architectural world with an icon of modernist design.
- Preserving Modernism: An Immigrant’s Journey of Repair in Havana, Miami, and Los Angeles(2/21, $15) Is your family like a broken artifact? Rosa Lowinger’s new memoir, Dwell Time, explores the parallels between art conservation and the resurrection of family history.
- The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Culture Organizations in the Coachella Valley(2/22, FREE) California Desert Arts Council reveals the economic impact of spending by Coachella Valley nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences — and how the data can propel investment in the sector.
- Midcentury Modern Style: An Approachable Guide to Inspired Rooms(2/22, $15) Interior designer Karen Nepacena shows how to bring the spirit of MCM style to any home. Photographer Christopher Dibble shares inspirational yet relatable images capturing the essence.
- Modernism Rules the Waves: The Edgy Elegance of Midcentury Liners and Cruise Ships(2/23, $15) Join midcentury design aficionado and maritime historian Peter Knego as he takes you across the seven seas via a rarefied world of floating Midcentury Modern masterpieces.
- Neutra, Wright and Modernism in Bakersfield(2/23, $15) Bakersfield, best known for its music legends, was also a hotbed of modern architecture. Experience one of the most unexpected concentrations of modern architecture just 100 miles from Los Angeles.
- The Wood Expressionism of John Marsh Davis, 1961–1979(2/24, $15) Author-architect Hans Baldauf, FAIA, LEED AP, presents John Marsh Davis’ design legacy of wood expressionism, spanning dramatic coastal residences and magisterial timber-framed Napa winery complexes.
- Wasteland to Wonderland: Palm Desert Corporation and the Making of a Modern Desert City(2/24, $15) Although mostly forgotten, Palm Desert is a desert city with deep roots in modern architecture. Historian Luke Leuschner presents an overview of the creation of the city with new and unseen material.
- Paradise Lost: Googie & Modernism in The Catskills(2/24, $15) The resorts of the Catskill Mountains or ‘Borscht Belt’ offered a glamorous summer haven during the 20th century. Explore this hidden midcentury modern wonderland with photographer Isaac Jeffreys.
- Pacific Northwest Modern: Blending East and West(2/24, $15) When modern architecture reached the Pacific Northwest, it merged with existing traditions of Native American and Japanese building. Dale Kutzeraexplores this unique variant of Midcentury Modern.
Films at the Modernism Week Theater at CAMP
- FILM: “Brown vs. Brown”–The Tension of Midcentury Modernism in New Zealand(2/16, $15) A film on the late modernist architect, Peter Mark-Brown, his legacy, Neutra’s influence and New Zealand’s iconic midcentury homes, viewed through the lens of his filmmaker son, with Alan Hess in Q+A.
- Palm Springs Plays Itself: A Vintage Home Movie Cocktail Hour with Deserted Films(2/21, $25) Local home movie film archive, Deserted Films, will screen and provide entertaining context for a selection of amateur vintage 16mm, 8mm and Super 8 films shot in and around Palm Springs.
- FILM: “Albert Frey: The Architectural Envoy – Part I”(2/25, $15) Swiss-born architect Albert Frey introduced Corbusian-influenced modernism to the United States and developed an extraordinary design style, blending industrial techniques and a love of nature.
- FILM: “Albert Frey: The Architectural Interpreter – Part II”(2/25, $15) In 1939, Swiss-born architect Albert Frey embarked on a decades-long journey of discovery. His world travels and love of nature would lead him to a new style of modernism in Palm Springs, California.
Double Feature: Both Albert Frey Documentaries–Part I and Part II $20
Live Music
Also appearing at the Hyatt on two Thursday nights will be free live bands and DJs playing outside of CAMP in the Hyatt’s Hoodoo Lounge. On Thursday, February 15, festivities will start at 6 p.m. with DJ Aylex Song, followed by The Funky Warhols at 7 p.m., who will play favorite disco and 70s hits. These two acts will continue alternating until 10 p.m. The following week will feature retro rock ‘n’ roll music, on Thursday, February 22, with rockabilly band,The Centuries kicking off the evening at 6 pm, followed by Harry Katz & the Pistachios at 8 pm, playing slap-happy surf swing until 9:30 p.m. Entertainment for both nights was programmed by Take Five Entertainment, headed by Adam Levy. No cover charge or minimum, over 21+.
Professional Color Consultation at CAMP
Stop by the Dunn-Edwards CAMP display for free color consultations or to meet with a representative. Whether you are a consumer, interior designer, architect, or other professional – Dunn-Edwards representatives will be at CAMP to offer friendly, color and product selection guidance for painting projects.
Information Desk
A special Information Desk will assist customers with event or ticket questions, directions and purchase information. The free Official Modernism Week Program Guide and printed schedule brochures may be picked up here at CAMP.
