La Quinta Country Club Modernism Week 2026

Designed by Robert “Bob” Ricciardi in 1968, the Simon House occupies a lot and a half, giving the residence an exceptional sense of openness and scale. The design reflects Ricciardi’s early Mid-Century Modern approach: clean lines, generous glazing, thoughtful massing, and a seamless connection to the desert landscape.                

Originally built for Frank and Sylvia Simon, the home reflects the lifestyle of a family deeply engaged in design and culture. Frank Simon served as Senior VP and General Merchandise Manager of Bloomingdale’s before becoming CEO, President, and Chairman of Bullock’s (1979–1984), bringing a sophisticated design sensibility to the commission.

A 2009 reconfiguration by Palm Springs modernist architect Lance O’Donnell transformed the home while respecting Ricciardi’s intent. The 6-car garage was reduced to create a media room, Fleetwood doors were added to enhance indoor–outdoor flow, and wood plank ceilings were installed in key living spaces. The current owners completed further updates in 2023, reimagining kitchens, baths, cabinetry, and exterior landscaping—including a sculptural fountain/hot tub and shaded outdoor entertaining zones.                

Ricciardi, a UC Berkeley graduate and alumnus of the Wexler and Cody offices, launched his independent practice in 1963. Known for both residential and civic projects, his early work in the Coachella Valley is characterized by elegant structural simplicity, while his later projects display increasingly expressive, sculptural forms.

The Collins House represents the best of early 1970s desert modernism—structural clarity, sculptural lines, and an interior environment elevated through the refined sensibilities of Arthur Elrod. Ricciardi’s steel-frame architecture pairs with Elrod’s elegant detailing to create a residence that is both architectural and deeply livable.   

Entering through a dramatic courtyard, visitors cross a floating bridge to reach the monumental double bronze entry doors. Inside, floor-to-ceiling glass frames sweeping western mountain views, while Elrod’s interior features—such as the open fireplace and distinctive cut-out room divider—anchor the home with mid-century sophistication. The current owners modernized the property in 2020, converting the carport to a garage and adding an outdoor kitchen.    

Built for George and Dorothea Collins, the home reflects the couple’s deep connections to The La Quinta Country Club. George Collins, a West Covina–based developer who retired in 1965, served as President of LQCC and played an important role in the Bob Hope Desert Classic throughout the 1970s, including terms as President and Tournament Chairman.            

Robert “Bob” Ricciardi, a UC Berkeley–trained architect, began his career in the offices of Donald Wexler and William Cody before launching his independent practice in 1963. His early work—such as the Silver Spur Ranch Clubhouse and St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church—exemplifies Coachella Valley Mid-Century Modernism, while his later evolution introduced sculptural, Brutalist elements to civic and commercial buildings across the region.    

Arthur Elrod, founder of Elrod Associates and the Valley’s most celebrated interior designer, brought a refined modernist aesthetic to the home. Known for the iconic Elrod House (1969, John Lautner), his interiors for the Collins House reflect his trademark blend of warmth, sophistication, and architectural harmony.

The Rosehill House captures the serene structural purity of late 1960s California modernism. Designed by George Rocher, the residence demonstrates a disciplined use of horizontality, glazing, and material texture, all oriented to the dramatic mountain backdrop and the indoor–outdoor lifestyle of The La Quinta Country Club.        

Visitors arrive through a dramatic entry courtyard—a signature Rocher gesture—where two long, cantilevered beams sweep overhead to frame the sky. Bold double doors introduce a pop of color, while vertical brick columns and deep roof overhangs convey both mass and delicacy. Expansive glass panels extend sightlines from the courtyard through the home to the pool terrace, reinforcing Rocher’s belief in transparency as architecture. Low, sculptural landscaping softens the crisp geometry without interrupting the home’s spatial rhythm.            

Commissioned by Dr. David and Louise Rosehill shortly after joining LQCC, the home became a gathering point for the club’s social scene. The Rosehills hosted annual Bob Hope Desert Classic luncheons here throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s—most notably welcoming Governor Pat Brown and his wife in 1969.            

George Rocher, a Saratoga-based designer, completed residential work in Northern California from the 1930s through the 1960s, often collaborating with his wife, interior designer Raisa Kocher. Although his built portfolio is relatively modest, his work displays a striking sensitivity to proportion and materiality. Few intact examples of his residential architecture survive today, making the Rosehill House a rare and important testament to his design legacy.

The Rakolta House is a masterclass in late modern desert residential architecture—geometric, light-filled, and meticulously oriented to capture sweeping views of The La Quinta Country Club golf course and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Laszlo Sandor’s disciplined approach to form, structure, and materiality is evident throughout the home.                    

Arrival occurs through a modern glass portico that leads to sculptural bronze entry doors. Inside, Sandor’s orientation on a classic grid reveals itself through luminous atrium spaces, dramatic ceiling heights, and expanses of glazing that dissolve the boundary between interior and landscape. Original features—including a Siemens kitchen, exterior metal blinds, and a complex lighting system—remain intact thanks to thoughtful stewardship by the current owners.        

Built for John and Mary Rakolta, prominent LQCC members since the late 1960s, the home reflects their refined taste and emphasis on gracious entertaining. John Rakolta, a decorated WWII bombardier-navigator held as a POW, later became Chairman and CEO of Detroit-based construction firm Walbridge. The home originally occupied two lots, creating generous garden spaces specifically designed to highlight the surrounding views.

Born in Hungary, Laszlo Ernest Sandor fled the Communist regime during the 1956 revolution and arrived in the United States as part of a major wave of European-trained modernists. After working with influential modern architects—including Al Beadle—Sandor moved to Palm Springs in 1966 to join William Cody before establishing his independent practice. His work, which bridges Spanish influence and Mid-Century Modern clarity, includes custom residences, prominent church designs, and projects for high-profile clients such as interior designer Steve Chase.

Designed by architect Lance O’Donnell for Mike and Betty Terry of Graystone Custom Builders, the Terry House is a contemporary expression of disciplined desert modernism. Its bold horizontal roof planes, floating cantilevers, and walls of glass create a striking dialogue with the landscape while honoring the modernist traditions of The La Quinta Country Club.        

Set on a premier site selected for its sweeping double-fairway exposures and panoramic mountain backdrop, the home’s architecture prioritizes unobstructed sightlines and effortless indoor–outdoor continuity. An architectural pergola casts shifting linear shadows throughout the day, animating the entry experience, while low, architectural plantings maintain visual clarity across the site. The rectilinear pool becomes an extension of the architecture itself—mirroring the home’s geometry and reinforcing O’Donnell’s modernist vocabulary. 

O’Donnell, principal of O2 Architecture, is known for work that balances environmental sensitivity with formal rigor. His residential and commercial projects reflect a commitment to clean lines, material honesty, and precise responses to site and climate—principles clearly reflected in the Terry House.

One of the earliest homes built within The La Quinta Country Club Estates, 48841 Avenida Fernando represents the foundational Mid-Century Modern aesthetic that defined the community’s early years. Constructed as a spec home by Visscher & Associates to help attract buyers to the fledgling development, the home blends classic mid-century materials with simple, elegant massing.                

The residence is organized around long horizontal planes, stacked-stone walls that move seamlessly between interior and exterior, and large glass panels that open to dual fairway views in front and dramatic mountain vistas behind. The extended construction period—from 1959 to 1962—likely reflects financing delays and the timing of LQCC’s formal opening. The current owners have sensitively expanded and updated the home, preserving key historic features while adding modern functions such as a single-car garage for storage.

Because it was developed as a speculative property, no original owner narrative exists. However, Visscher & Associates played a formative role in constructing several early LQCC homes, though documentation of architectural authorship is scarce. Notably, none of the model homes in the earliest club brochures match this design, though they share key mid-century attributes.

The home endures as an important example of early LQCC architecture—modest in scale but rich in the clean-lined, glass-forward design language that set the tone for the community’s modernist identity.