Bermuda Post

Sunday, Mar 26, 2023

Travel Back in Time to William F. Cody’s Now-Razed Desert Modern

Travel Back in Time to William F. Cody’s Now-Razed Desert Modern

Featured in Monacelli’s new book, “Master of the Midcentury: The Architecture of William F. Cody,” the 1963 Shamel Residence was emblematic of postwar Palm Springs.

Like many homeowners in the Eldorado Country Club development, Jennings and Anna Shamel built their fairway home as a winter residence for relaxed living and recreation, notably golf.



The roof structure protects the interior from direct sun and provides shade over the patio, pocket gardens, and part of the pool.

On a lot bordered on three sides by the tenth and thirteenth fairways, Cody created multiple layers of space to guarantee privacy without sacrificing the clients’ desire for an open, informal interior. The slender structure of the house, composed of 4-inch-square steel columns on a 12-by-12-foot grid, was all but invisible, allowing Cody maximum flexibility in planning.



The steps and landing are integrated with the pools and planters. Cody designed the sculptural exterior light fixture next to the entrance doors as a housewarming gift for the Shamels.



Motor court and front entrance, showing the fieldstone wall juxtaposed with wood beams, steel columns, and stucco walls.



The back of the house faces the tenth and thirteenth fairways, without architectural features to interrupt the views of Eldorado’s golf course and the mountains beyond.

The screen-covered entry court at the core of the house served as a sheltered, semi-outdoor room and also provided access to the bedroom, living, and service zones. On the west side of the house, a portico offered protection from the afternoon sun while also creating a buffer between the fairway and the glass-walled living room. As mandated by Eldorado’s bylaws, no barriers were permitted between the house and the fairways-a stipulation that Cody had first introduced for the master plan at Thunderbird Country Club-which allowed exceptional views of the golf course and mountains. The roof appeared to float above the interior, supported by slender columns and extending outward to frame views and provide shade.



The entry court, partially roofed with screening, can be opened to the living areas through the full-height glass doors seen to the left. The front door is at center-left, and behind the stone wall are the primary bedroom suite and another bedroom.



The pool extends under the entry wall to the exterior, similar to the pool at the Palm Springs Spa bathhouse.



Matched paneling is used throughout the kitchen and dining room to form continuous planes of beautifully grained wood. The glass of the kitchen windows extends directly into the ceiling above and countertop below, eliminating visual obstructions between inside and outside.

Throughout the house, Cody designed distinctive details, ranging from the direct-set glass of the kitchen windows to the entry lamp beside the front door. Interior materials such as teak, travertine, slate, and indigenous stone created rich textures and warm colors that contrasted with the steel columns and large areas of glass. The living room fireplace in particular showed off this strategic juxtaposition of materials: four panels of travertine hovered above the fireplace opening, while the rough stone wall in the background could be seen through the tempered glass that filled in the space between the steel columns and the fireplace.



The glass doors of the dining area lead to a covered walkway that connects with the poolside patio. As in other parts of the house, the orientation of the ceiling boards alternates with each bay.

The Shamel Residence was one of Cody’s most widely recognized residential projects, featured in the Los Angeles Times and Architecture/West, among other publications. It was also chosen as one of eleven winners of the 1965 American Institute of Steel Construction Architectural Awards of Excellence. The award jurors wrote, "its design reflects the infinite variety of life that takes places (sic) in a house of this kind. It is an unpretentious and straightforward solution to a beautiful location-simple, direct, straight to the point." The Shamel Residence also garnered a 1964 Homes for Better Living award from the AIA. Unfortunately, the house has been razed and the lot remains empty.



Outside the living room, a palm tree grows through an opening in the roof.



The living room fireplace is faced with travertine and flanked by glass. In front of the fireplace, the slate floor is dropped to create an intimate seating area.



Seen from just inside the front door, the fireplace and a garden separate the living room on the left from the stone wall of the primary bedroom to the right.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Bermuda Post
Close
0:00
0:00
In a dramatic U-turn against His Government: Judicial Overhaul Legislation Must Be Halted, Says Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant
Powell: Silicon Valley Bank was an 'outlier'
Donald Trump arrested – Twitter goes wild with doctored pictures
NYPD is setting up barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court ahead of Trump arrest.
Credit Suisse's Scandalous History Resulted in an Obvious Collapse - It's time for regulators who fail to do their job to be held accountable and serve as an example by being behind bars.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman tours potential migrant housing in Rwanda as asylum deal remains mired in legal challenges
Paris Rioting vs Macron anti democratic law
'Sexual Fantasy' Assignment At US School Outrages Parents
Credit Suisse to borrow $54 billion from Swiss central bank
Russian Hackers Preparing New Cyber Assault Against Ukraine
Jeremy Hunt insists his Budget will get young parents and over-50s back into work
If this was in Tehran, Moscow or Hong Kong
Nashville police officer, and a female driver shooting one another
TRUMP: "Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III."
Mexican President Claims Mexico is Safer than the U.S.
A brief banking situation report
Lady bites police officer and gets instantly reaction
We are witnessing widespread bank fails and the president just gave a 5 min speech then walked off camera.
Donald Trump's asked by Tucker Carlson question on if the U.S. should support regime change in Russia?.
'No relation to the American SVB': India's SVC Bank acts to calm depositors amid brand name confusion.
Good news: The U.S. government is now guaranteeing all deposits, held by, Silicon Valley Bank, and the funds are available as of today
Silicon Valley Bank exec was Lehman Brothers CFO
In a potential last-ditch effort, HSBC is considering a rescue deal to save Silicon Valley Bank UK from insolvency
BBC Director General, Tim Davie, has apologized, but not resigned, yet, following the disruption of sports programmes over the weekend
Elon Musk Is Planning To Build A Town In Texas For His Employees
The Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse effect is spreading around the world, affecting startup companies across the globe
City officials in Berlin announced on Thursday that all swimmers at public pools will soon be allowed to swim topless
Fitness scam
Market Chaos as USDC Loses Peg to USD after $3.3 Billion Reserves Held by Silicon Valley Bank Closed.
A primitive judge in Australia sparked outrage when he told a breastfeeding woman to leave his courtroom for being “a distraction"
Barcelona is feeling the heat as they face corruption charges over payments to former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira
Senator Tom Cotton: If the Mexican Government Won’t Stop Cartels from Killing Americans, Then U.S. Government Should
Banking regulators close SVB, the largest bank failure since the financial crisis
The unelected UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, an immigrant himself, defends new controversial crackdown on illegal migration
Old clip of Bill Gates saying Ukraine is a big, fat, corrupt sinkhole is going viral
Man’s penis amputated by mistake after he’s wrongly diagnosed with a tumour
In a major snub to Downing Street's Silicon Valley dreams, UK chip giant Arm has dealt a serious blow to the government's economic strategy by opting for a US listing
How do stolen goods end up on Amazon, eBay and Facebook Marketplace?
It's the question on everyone's lips: could a four-day workweek be the future of employment?
Is Gold the Ultimate Safe Haven Asset in Times of Uncertainty?
Spain officials quit over trains that were too wide for tunnels...
Don Lemon, a CNN anchor, has provided a list of five areas that he believes the black community needs to address.
Hello. Here is our news digest from London.
Corruption and Influence Buying Uncovered in International Mainstream Media: Investigation Reveals Growing Disinformation Mercenaries
Givenchy Store in New York Robbed of $50,000 in Merchandise
European MP Clare Daly condemns US attack on Nord Stream
Former U.S. President Carter will spend his remaining time at home and receive hospice care instead of medication
Tucker Carlson called Trump a 'demonic force'
US Joins 15 NATO Nations in Largest Space Data Collection Initiative in History
White House: No ETs over the United States
×