Donald Allen Wexler (January 23, 1926 – June 26, 2015) was an influential Mid-Century modern architect whose work is predominantly in the Palm Springs, California, area. He is known for having pioneered the use of steel in residential design.[1]
Wexler was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1926 and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[2] He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1950[3] and worked for Richard Neutra in Los Angeles, CA. He moved to Palm Springs in 1952 and practiced there for almost six decades, developing an architecture that is acutely sensitive to the extremes of the desert climate. In 1962, he designed the all-steel Alexander houses, along with the structural engineer Bernard Perlin for the developers George and Robert Alexander.[4] His houses' framing, roofs and exterior siding are typically steel, with drywall interior siding.[5] While he chose to keep his office small and limited his practice to the desert community, Wexler produced a body of work that included houses, schools, hotels, banks and the Palm Springs International Airport.[5]
Legacyedit
A one time resident of Palm Springs,[6] Wexler had a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars dedicated to him in 2008.[7] Archives of his work are kept at the Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design.[8] In 2011, the Palm Springs Art Museum organized the exhibition "Steel and Shade: The Architecture of Donald Wexler".[9]
In 2011, developer Marnie McBryde presented plans to build up to 50 Wexler-designed houses, which are adaptations of the 1964 Palm Springs house he designed for Dinah Shore, throughout the Hamptons.[5] In 2014, actor Leonardo DiCaprio purchased the original Dinah Shore residence in the Old Las Palmas neighborhood of Palm Springs for $5,230,000 (equivalent to $6,730,000 in 2023).[10]
Wexler died at his home in Palm Desert on June 26, 2015, following a brief illness. He was 89.[11]
Referencesedit
^Bricker, Lauren Weiss; Williams, Sidney J. (2011). Steel and Shade : the Architecture of Donald Wexler. Palm Springs, CA: Palm Springs Art Museum. p. 131. ISBN978-0981674346. LCCN 2010043639. OCLC 700522272. This book is published on the occasion of the exhibition Steel and Shade: The Architecture of Donald Wexler at the Palm Springs Art Museum, January 29 - May 29, 2011.
^Grimes, William (July 1, 2015). "Donald Wexler, Architect Who Gave Shape to Palm Springs, Dies at 89". New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
^. Modern Desert Home. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
^Wisniewski, Katherine. "Remembering Donald Wexler, the Inventor of Palm Springs Modernism". www.curbed.com. Curbed.com. Retrieved 1 July 2015.[permanent dead link]
^ abcHodge, Brooke (February 17, 2011). "Seeing Things: Donald Wexler, Desert Modernist". Retrieved July 2, 2015.
^Johns, Howard (2004). Palm Springs Confidential: Playground of the Stars!. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade Books. pp. 156, 216. ISBN978-1569802694. LCCN 2004041116. OCLC 54392060.LCC PN2285 .J56 2004
^Palm Springs Walk of Stars: By Date Dedicated 2012-12-08 at the Wayback Machine
^"Architectural Exhibition Features Work of Donald Wexler at Palm Springs Art Museum" (PDF) (Press release). Palm Springs Art Museum. December 1, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
^Hawthorne, Christopher (February 15, 2011). "Culture Watch: Architect Donald Wexler in Palm Springs". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
^Lauren Beale (March 7, 2014), Leonardo DiCaprio buys Dinah Shore's onetime desert home Los Angeles Times.
^Descant, Skip. "Modernist Architect Donald Wexler Dies at 89". No. June 27. 2015. The Desert Sun. The Desert Sun. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
Further readingedit
McGrew, Patrick; Donald Wexler (2010). Donald Wexler: Architect. Palm Springs, CA: Palm Springs Preservation Foundation. p. 54. OCLC 688357507.
January 01, 1970
donald, wexler, donald, allen, wexler, january, 1926, june, 2015, influential, century, modern, architect, whose, work, predominantly, palm, springs, california, area, known, having, pioneered, steel, residential, design, born, 1926, january, 1926sioux, falls,. Donald Allen Wexler January 23 1926 June 26 2015 was an influential Mid Century modern architect whose work is predominantly in the Palm Springs California area He is known for having pioneered the use of steel in residential design 1 Donald WexlerBorn 1926 01 23 January 23 1926Sioux Falls South DakotaDiedJune 26 2015 2015 06 26 aged 89 Palm Desert CaliforniaAlma materUniversity of MinnesotaOccupationArchitectBuildingsPalm Springs International Airport Steel Development Houses Merrill Lynch Desert Water Agency Larson Justice Center Contents 1 Life and career 2 Legacy 3 References 4 Further readingLife and career editWexler was born in Sioux Falls South Dakota in 1926 and raised in Minneapolis Minnesota 2 He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1950 3 and worked for Richard Neutra in Los Angeles CA He moved to Palm Springs in 1952 and practiced there for almost six decades developing an architecture that is acutely sensitive to the extremes of the desert climate In 1962 he designed the all steel Alexander houses along with the structural engineer Bernard Perlin for the developers George and Robert Alexander 4 His houses framing roofs and exterior siding are typically steel with drywall interior siding 5 While he chose to keep his office small and limited his practice to the desert community Wexler produced a body of work that included houses schools hotels banks and the Palm Springs International Airport 5 Legacy editA one time resident of Palm Springs 6 Wexler had a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars dedicated to him in 2008 7 Archives of his work are kept at the Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design 8 In 2011 the Palm Springs Art Museum organized the exhibition Steel and Shade The Architecture of Donald Wexler 9 In 2011 developer Marnie McBryde presented plans to build up to 50 Wexler designed houses which are adaptations of the 1964 Palm Springs house he designed for Dinah Shore throughout the Hamptons 5 In 2014 actor Leonardo DiCaprio purchased the original Dinah Shore residence in the Old Las Palmas neighborhood of Palm Springs for 5 230 000 equivalent to 6 730 000 in 2023 10 Wexler died at his home in Palm Desert on June 26 2015 following a brief illness He was 89 11 References edit Bricker Lauren Weiss Williams Sidney J 2011 Steel and Shade the Architecture of Donald Wexler Palm Springs CA Palm Springs Art Museum p 131 ISBN 978 0981674346 LCCN 2010043639 OCLC 700522272 This book is published on the occasion of the exhibition Steel and Shade The Architecture of Donald Wexler at the Palm Springs Art Museum January 29 May 29 2011 Grimes William July 1 2015 Donald Wexler Architect Who Gave Shape to Palm Springs Dies at 89 New York Times Retrieved July 2 2015 Donald Wexler Modern Desert Home Archived from the original on June 29 2011 Retrieved June 29 2011 Wisniewski Katherine Remembering Donald Wexler the Inventor of Palm Springs Modernism www curbed com Curbed com Retrieved 1 July 2015 permanent dead link a b c Hodge Brooke February 17 2011 Seeing Things Donald Wexler Desert Modernist Retrieved July 2 2015 Johns Howard 2004 Palm Springs Confidential Playground of the Stars Fort Lee NJ Barricade Books pp 156 216 ISBN 978 1569802694 LCCN 2004041116 OCLC 54392060 LCC PN2285 J56 2004 Palm Springs Walk of Stars By Date Dedicated Archived 2012 12 08 at the Wayback Machine Architectural Exhibition Features Work of Donald Wexler at Palm Springs Art Museum PDF Press release Palm Springs Art Museum December 1 2010 Retrieved June 29 2011 Hawthorne Christopher February 15 2011 Culture Watch Architect Donald Wexler in Palm Springs Los Angeles Times Retrieved July 2 2015 Lauren Beale March 7 2014 Leonardo DiCaprio buys Dinah Shore s onetime desert home Los Angeles Times Descant Skip Modernist Architect Donald Wexler Dies at 89 No June 27 2015 The Desert Sun The Desert Sun Retrieved 28 June 2015 Further reading editMcGrew Patrick Donald Wexler 2010 Donald Wexler Architect Palm Springs CA Palm Springs Preservation Foundation p 54 OCLC 688357507 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Donald Wexler amp oldid 1205214899, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
