These homeowners appreciated the traditional architectural style of their hometown of St. John’s, a centuries-old city on Newfoundland island, in Canada’s easternmost province of Newfoundland and Labrador. But they had lived for years in Vancouver, British Columbia, where they had grown to love the more streamlined style of Canada’s west coast. After they returned to St. John’s and were ready to remodel their home there, they sought out North Vancouver designer Lori Steeves, whom they knew through family and friends. Steeves visited their home at the start of the project and then worked with them remotely.
“They had loved their time in Vancouver and really connected to a lot of the more streamlined design style there,” Steeves says. “They were keen to have some west coast influence in the new design for their home.” The wife also adored the gardens surrounding the house and wanted them to play a central role in the design. She hoped to highlight views and bring the outdoors in through color and pattern. Steeves responded with a transitional approach that blends colorful, traditional Newfoundland elements with neutral, streamlined Vancouver influences and nature-inspired details.
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When you first visit Twin Palms, it can be quite difficult to detect Krisel’s repetition of the exact floor plan, as each home feels so unique. It’s impressive to see such economically built housing continuing to be embraced by the owners almost 70 years after it was built.
The Influence of These Two Communities
The designers of both these developments were seeking to create designs that responded to modern life in their eras. Palmer and Krisel were successful as architects working with a builder to produce thousands of homes. After Twin Palms, they went on to design more communities in Palm Springs, including in the Vista Las Palmas development, Canyon View Estates and Racquet Club Estates, among others. The success of Twin Palms inspired many modern tracts by the Alexanders and others and helped set the architectural style for the city.
Krisel’s attention to branding has retained its value. The work that he and the Alexanders put into market research, curb appeal and the efficient delivery of a consistent product was part of their innovation. They were selling a lifestyle that had a major influence on large-scale builders going forward.
Back on the East Coast, TAC would go on to create Five Fields (1951), a similar development with 68 houses and common amenities. After that, the collaborative shifted its focus to larger-scale institutional and public work, becoming one of the largest architectural firms in the country.