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PS ModCom's Modernism 101 Series • Chicago to the Desert: Midcentury Connections In-Person
Join Palm Springs Modern Committee members Joan Gand and Jade Nelson to discover how Chicagoans helped shape Desert Modernism. From the Morse and Florsheim houses to the Edelstone Condominium, the snowbirds commissioned bold new “nests” in Palm Springs and the surrounding area. Developers like Roy Fey transformed neighborhoods, while designers Arthur Elrod and William Raiser took their desert flair to Chicago’s Johnson Publishing headquarters. Uncover the fascinating two-way exchange that linked Chicago’s design world with the Coachella Valley’s modernist legacy.
Joan Gand, a Chicago-area native, chairs PS ModCom’s Education Committee and the La Jolla Modernism Weekend. She co-founded Chicago Bauhaus and Beyond and edited Julius Shulman: Chicago Mid-Century Modernism. Palm Springs native Jade Nelson blends his passion for architecture and history with a career in preservation and education. He leads tours, serves on the PS ModCom board, and formerly chaired the City’s Historic Site Preservation Board.
This program is presented in partnership with the Palm Springs Modern Committee (PS ModCom).
- Date:
- Friday, January 16, 2026
- Time:
- 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
- Time Zone:
- Pacific Time - US & Canada (change)
- Location:
- Community Room
- Audience:
- Adults
- Categories:
- Lectures & Discussions