Step Back in Time: Experience the Aluminaire House in 1931

Join us for an unforgettable and immersive journey as we transport ourselves to April 17, 1931, the day before the iconic Aluminaire House, designed by architects Albert Frey and A. Lawrence Kocher, was unveiled to the public for the very first time. Witness this architectural marvel, recreated in stunning photorealistic cinematic detail, as we celebrate its groundbreaking design and historical significance.

Picture bustling Lexington Avenue, filled with the sights and sounds of the 1930s – pedestrians styling the latest fashions, vintage automobiles cruising by, and an atmosphere buzzing with the excitement of the city. As the immersive experience unfolds, you will walk alongside history to the entrance of the Grand Central Palace, the venue hosting the prestigious Allied Arts & Industries Architectural League’s 46th Annual Exhibition.

By invitation from Frey and Kocher, step inside the Grand Central Palace for a private tour of the recently completed Aluminaire House. Gleaming underneath the exhibition hall lights, the house stands as a beacon of modernity, ready to impress the over 100,000 guests who visited the futuristic house over the week it was displayed.

Architects Michael Schwarting and Frances Campani, who saved Aluminaire from demolition in the late 1980s and dedicated decades to finding a permanent home for it, will share insights into the house's origins, the public's reactions, the press’s critique, and its revolutionary departure from traditional residential norms. The love-it-or-hate-it response ignited a whirlwind of publicity that solidified Aluminaire as an enduring symbol of innovation in architecture.

With a rich array of content, much of it from their new book, The Aluminaire House (Gibbs Smith 2024), along with film clips from the documentary Albert Frey: The Architectural Envoy – Part 1 showcasing Frey’s early years in New York, and rare audio clips of Frey himself reminiscing about his revolutionary design, recorded during interviews the architects did in Palm Springs in the 1990s, the stage is now set to experience for ourselves what it was like to see Aluminaire for the very first time almost 100 years ago.

This immersive experience is presented by Modernism Week in celebration of the 10 years dedicated to promoting and supporting Aluminaire’s arrival and reassembly in Palm Springs. We extend our sincere appreciation to The Chris and Jim Scott Family Foundation and Dr. Elizabeth Edwards Harris for their generous support of the animated rendering, as well as to Lu and Brian Eyerman of Skyline Ink for their meticulous historical research and technical expertise that brought this project to life.  skylineink.com

Gratitude also to filmmaker, Jake Gorst, for creating the Aluminaire House story video compilation. mainspringnarrative.org

Free, ticket required.

Things To KnowAges 13 and older
This is an indoor activity
Wheelchair accessible
Parking and handicap parking available
No smoking or e-cigarettes

Important InformationThe entrance to the Annenberg Theater is located behind the Annenberg Theater Box Office, adjacent to the Palm Springs Art Museum's North Parking Lot.
Ample free public parking is available in the multi-level public garage across from the Palm Springs Art Museum.
The organizer of this event is Modernism Week Annenberg Theater Activity.

Check-in Location Palm Springs Art Museum
101 N Museum Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262View Map

Photo Credits: skylineink.com {"locationAddressVisibility":"visible"}