METAMORPHOSIS OF KRISEL-DESIGNED HOME A LABOR OF LOVE FOR MODERNIST LA-BASED ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER MARKUS CANTER
Much
like the butterfly emerges from its cocoon, reminding us of life’s
unceasing pattern of rebirth and renewal, so too has this mid-century
modern style home been elegantly transformed for life in the new
millennium. With a butterfly roof and a timeless design that seamlessly
fits into the natural landscape, the home represents one of the best
examples of William Krisel’s work in the Twin Palms neighborhood.
Now
that it has undergone an extensive restoration and modernization
process, the home also reflects the vision of Markus Canter, a notable
architectural designer. “We’re proud about the way this turned out,
because it reflects the culmination of many hours of work, years of
research and planning,” said Canter, who traveled from his native Los
Angeles on a weekly basis during the five-month renovation.
Canter
has been vacationing in Palm Springs since his childhood. He and his
wife Cristie St. James purchased the home to have a place to relax and
unwind with their family and friends. “Cristie and I had our eye on
this place for years,” laughed Canter. “I had long considered this
Krisel home to be one of the best the Twin Palms area had to offer,
since it is located on one of the best streets in the neighborhood and
featured the most iconic and rare roofline.”
Canter
should know. His design work is scattered throughout Greater Los
Angeles, especially the Hollywood Hills and Sunset Strip areas. A
graduate of Occidental College, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts
degree, Canter is also a top-producing Realtor who is routinely sought
out by clients interested in homes with architectural significance.
Though
Canter has been hired to redesign numerous properties, this was the
first project that he had the opportunity to let his design
sensibilities run free on one of his own homes. In fact, the entire
renovation was custom designed to his exact details and preferences for
materials and finishes. Combining modern, man-made materials with
organic, warm tones and hardwoods, Canter focused on ensuring that all
of the details in the home were in harmony with its already balanced
space and volume.
“An
extensive renovation was never part of the plan,” said Canter, “however
I had a vision of what the home could be and I loved it too much to
pass on the chance of bringing it up to speed. With the work that was
done, especially to the kitchen and bathrooms, I think Mr. Krisel would
agree that we have created an open, Zen-like space that also provides a
high degree of functionality in the modern landscape.”
To
accomplish his goal of producing a harmonious and clean structure
aligned with the architect’s original intentions, Canter performed a
thorough redesign of the interior, exterior and landscaping. The result
is tranquil, open space filled with sunlight. Adding walnut wood
accents brought about a sense of balance and warmth.
“Preserving
the character of this home was very important to us,” notes Canter.
“I’ve always had an affinity for Palm Springs and the beautiful modern
architecture that’s prevalent to the area, especially the work of
William Krisel. It’s always been impressive and interesting to me that
Twin Palms reflects his overarching idea for what an entire neighborhood
should be, not just a single property.”
Beginning
his work in the early 1950s, William Krisel is best known for the
post-and-beam houses he built in collaboration with the Alexander
Construction Company in Palm Springs. With over 2,500 homes constructed
in the northern Coachella Valley, he and the Alexander Construction
Company made a profound and lasting alteration to the landscape. The
majority of the homes in the Twin Palms neighborhood average around
1,600 square feet and originally sold for about $29,000.
Though
his ideas initially met with a great deal of resistance, Krisel’s
ability to bring modern design to average people and focus on avoiding
cookie-cutter rows of houses eventually earned him acclaim. Applying
his belief that the architect should be responsible for designing the
entire property, not just the structure, his designs included a variety
of rooflines, patterned brick, berms and walkways.
In
keeping with Krisel’s ideas, Canter incorporated a beautiful landscape
design with the structure’s clean lines and graceful architecture.
Guided by a focus on combining aesthetics with function, Canter
utilized landscape design elements and locally-sourced plants with a
tolerance for the intense weather that is synonymous to Palm Springs.
With
a pool as the focal point and towering palm trees everywhere, Canter’s
vision for the landscape design was quickly accepted and praised. When
he presented his artistic renderings for the master bathroom, however,
he was surprised by the amount of resistance and skepticism he
encountered.
“The
original bathrooms were claustrophobic and not in keeping with what one
would expect of a home of this caliber,” said Canter.
To
align the master bedroom with the open, airy feel of the rest of the
home, Canter removed all the walls that contained the small master
bathroom. Finding enough additional space to create a spacious walk-in
shower with the feel of being outside was accomplished by enclosing an
atrium that Krisel had positioned adjacent to the master bedroom.
By
placing a massive skylight over the shower, which has glass walls and
tile that extends to the ceiling, Canter transformed the master bedroom
into a space that is both aesthetically pleasing and sexy. “This design
is not for everyone,” admitted Canter, laughing. “I can only imagine
the resistance that Krisel would have encountered back in the ‘50s if he
had used this design.”
Canter
noted that his vision for the bathroom had simply not been done before
with Alexander homes. “I think a lot of the resistance I felt when I
presented my drawings was a result of this being such a unique,
out-of-the-box idea,” explained Canter, who worked exclusively with
local contractors. “The original master bedroom had such amazing value
and light. I wanted to realize the modern feel of the home without
compromising its integrity or modernism.”
Now
that it is complete, many of Canter’s visitors have commented that the
master bedroom adds a distinctive finish to the home, with its
combination of beauty and function. He noted that, “I like to think
that Krisel would approve of what we did to the bathroom—how it is open
and bright and feels much larger than it is, which is in keeping with
the theme of the rest of the home.”
Canter
explained that he was initially motivated to purchase the home by its
iconic butterfly roofline. “The butterfly roof is really the best
possible use of space, since it allows for so much natural light and
views that extend to the ceiling,” said Canter. “It is also one of the
most aerodynamic and therefore durable designs in existence, which makes
it especially appealing considering the winds that affect Palm Springs
on an almost daily basis.”
Possibly the most
efficient design for the Palm Springs climate and landscape, the
butterfly roof is formed by two adjacent gables sloping inward. The
result is a roofline that angles upward, to capture rainfall and allow
for large expanses of glass.
“One
of my favorite things about this home is that you can sit in the living
room and take in views of two mountain ranges towering above. Cristie
and I had a fascination with it for a long time because of the way the
roofline makes it simultaneously beautiful yet striking from the curb,”
said Canter, who started in the design field at the age of 21 as a
production designer for major film projects.
Canter
added that he purchased the home with a goal of providing his friends
and family with an opportunity to immerse themselves into the beauty and
experience of Krisel’s designs, as well as to create a clean, modern
Zen space for the body and mind to unwind.
“It
was essential to us that we preserve the character and style of the
original property, but it was also vital to ensure the home was
transformed to meet the demands of modern life. Now that it is finally
done and I can stop driving back and forth to meet with contractors, I
have to say that I feel more at home here than I do in Los Angeles,”
said Canter. "Whereas we work in LA, we feel that Palm Springs is our
home."
Canter
explained that he could hardly imagine a better place to spend time
with his family than Palm Springs. He added that, “With some of the
most pristine hiking and recreational opportunities in the nation
located nearby, plus the chance to experience a number of world-class
options for shopping and fine dining all in the same day, Palm Springs
offers an incredibly rewarding lifestyle. When this home became
available, we were thrilled about the idea of buying it and the prospect
of enjoying such a beautiful and architecturally significant home with
our friends and family.”
