Master of the Midcentury

Master of the Midcentury: The Architecture of William F. Cody is the first monograph dedicated to this key Palm Springs architect. Abundantly illustrated and detailed, the book surveys Cody’s prolific and diverse oeuvre, from residences and commercial centers to master plans and industrial complexes, all contributing to the Desert Modern idiom. Cody’s work blends disciplined, technically innovative design with a passion for social spaces, texture, color, and art, delivering a relaxed luxury integrated with experimental form.

Among Cody’s defining projects are icons like the Del Marcos Hotel (1946) and the Eldorado country club (1957), as well as homes built for celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Walt Disney. Though most of his buildings are in California and Arizona, his commissions reached other western states and beyond, including Hawaii, Mexico, Honduras, and Cuba. The book emphasizes both the aesthetic punch and the engineering daring that allowed for thin beams and roof slabs that seemed to defy gravity.

Authored by Cathy Cody, Jo Lauria, and Don Choi—team behind the exhibition Fast Forward—Master of the Midcentury combines archival photographs, color renderings, and detailed drawings to present the authoritative resource on Cody’s work and his place in midcentury American modernism.

Kenmerken

• Eerste monografie over William F. Cody
• Palm Springs Desert Modern als kernconcept
• Iconische en diverse projecten
• Sociale ruimtes en rijke texturen
• Fotografie, renderings en tekeningen
• Bouwde erfenis in meerdere staten en landen