Palm Springs is a stunning desert oasis that becomes a hot spot for festival goers during the two spectacular weekends of the Coachella Music Festival. Beyond Coachella, a little known fact about Palm Springs, (well for me at least) is that it is one of the biggest mid-century modern architecture hubs in America.

We catch the Palm Springs Mod Squad Architecture Tour with Kurt Cyr, to check out all the most iconic architecture in this beautiful desert town. Greater Palm Springs has been attracting artists, designers, and architects for over a century, and was the place to be for Hollywood Stars for the golden age. Kurt Cyr himself is local celebrity in his own right. A treasure trove of architectural knowledge, and bucket loads of charm, make Kurt an absolute delight; and this tour a great way to spend an afternoon in Palm Springs.

We start the tour at the super Instagrammable Saguaro Hotel. The hotel itself is built with a spectrum of rainbow colours and is the perfect spot for a California Pool party. Bursts of colour decorate the building and permeate every aspect of this ultra-cool property. We continue the tour by learning how to spot key mid-century modern deign elements all throughout Palm Springs. Flat planes, shadow play, and geometric shapes, became instantly recognisable as we learned more about the roots of this architectural movement in Palm Springs. Highlights include seeing the homes of some of Hollywood’s biggest icons, including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and even Marilyn Monroe. Check out some of our favourite spots on the tour below.

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