KAUFMANN DESERT HOUSE By Architect Richard Neutra
Resurrecting a very old build because I was once again researching the case study houses. Lost the files for this one, but luckily still have the screenshots!!!
Tried to make this as close to the real house as possible, based on the photos I could find.
One of my favorite aspects of this design is the position of the pool in relation to the rest of the house. While the floor plan is in a pinwheel shape, with each wing facing a cardinal direction, the pool grounds the design and makes it feel balanced.
Also every side of the house has a view towards natural surroundings. The full length sliding windows and doors blur the line between indoor and outdoor.
Building a second floor in Palm Springs was actually prohibited during the creation of the Kaufmann Desert House. Allegedly, it was because a second floor would allow people to peek into neighboring pools.
However, client Edgar J. Kaufmann wanted to "watch the sun set in the mountains while he lounges on a comfortable sofa", so Architect Neutra got to work. He designed what you would call a gloriette, which is a canopy, typically elevated, with a roof supported by pillars. It is open with no walls.
Neutra got around the rule by making the second floor a gloriette built on top of the roof of the first floor. Since this was allowed, Kaufmann and Neutra placed outdoor lounge furniture on the gloriette and dubbed it a living / lounging / entertaining space as well as a sleeping porch (which were common in desert homes at the time prior to air conditioning - allowing for incredible views as well as the cool night time breeze).
The Kaufmann Desert House is a classic and one of my favorite examples of midcentury modern architecture ❤️
Poolside Gossip by Slim Aarons recreated in The Sims 4
