Southampton Arts Center’s Architecture + Design Tour To Take Attendees To Palm Springs

Many have had to cancel or significantly alter their travel plans for the foreseeable future – but Southampton Arts Center (SAC) wants you to join them in Palm Springs on Friday, July 17.

From 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., SAC will host its annual Architecture + Design event, which will feature a live Zoom virtual tour of the California city known for its mid-century architecture and design.

“We thought that since we couldn’t conduct an in-person tour this year, we would use the opportunity to visit a community across the country,” Mark Fichandler, SAC Architecture + Design Tour Co-Chair, explained.

The evening will commence with a talk and visual presentation led by Palm Springs architect Lance O’Donnell, principal of o2 Architecture, who will cover the area’s social, design and architectural history. Then, O’Donnell will take attendees on an exploration of a trio of spectacular sites – with a few special guests stopping by.

Tour-goers will visit Sunnylands Center & Grounds’ new campus on the 200+ acre estate, where Janice Lyle, Sunnylands Center & Grounds Director, will join O’Donnell for the tour. The next two stops will be private homes designed by O’Donnell. The outing to an art-filled Southridge home will include an appearance by Louis Grachos, the Executive Director of the Palm Springs Art Museum, while the home owner of a Ridge Vista abode with magnificent gardens will discuss the residence with O’Donnell.

“While geographically it couldn’t be more different from the Hamptons, it shares some underlying similarities: both are completely unique American places which attract people from all over the world for both their natural and built environments – for leisure, for culture and for that special quality of light and air that certain special places exude,” Fichandler added.

The Architecture + Design Tour debuted in 2018 with a focus on the architecture of Stanford White, including a chat with White’s great-grandson, architect Samuel White. Last year’s event revolved around the work of Grosvenor Atterbury, architect of SAC’s iconic building.

If you already have plans that evening, but register for the online program, SAC will send a recording of the entire event.

The Architecture + Design Tour serves as fundraiser to benefit Southampton Arts Center. Tickets begin at $75.

For more information, visit southamptonartscenter.org.