ALBERT

Bel Vista was designed in 1945 by architects Albert Frey and John Porter Clark. It was the first subdivision in Palm Springs to feature modern houses and the only Frey housing tract.

Thoughtfully preserved and restored to its original floor plan, Bel Vista is number ninety-nine on the Architecture 100 site tour guide curated by the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation. www.pspreservationfoundation.org

Albert  Frey was known for designing and building homes and structures that integrated with the natural environment. His buildings are often characterized by their clean lines and use of unconventional materials, with a focus on sustainability. Frey was inspired by the desert landscape and many of his buildings, including the famous Bel Vista Tract #1, are located in and around Palm Springs, California where the mountains meet the desert.

He had a passion for the beauty of the desert and incorporated the aesthetic into his architectural designs in a harmonious and sustainable way, with the notion to enhance the surrounding environment, rather than overpower it. He used materials like steel, glass and concrete to help create structures that would blend seamlessly into the landscape..

The phrase “where the mountains meet the desert” captures the unique combination of rugged terrain, scenic vistas and natural beauty that Frey so eloquently adapted into his architecture. His work is celebrated to this day for the innovation in design and the connection to the natural world.

Oh… quick little bit of lore about Frey. He added a bell at the door of the Frey II house to alert him when  guests were arriving and give him time to put clothes on. According to the legend, he preferred to swim in the nude. He also stood on his head as part of his exercise regimen…according to the story. Here is a visual to back up,at least, part of the legend.