Lisa Marie Rovito

Welcome to the Home of the Year. The 2006 Gold Nugget Grand Award for exactly that went to Narendra Patel, principal architect at Alta Palm Springs and the man behind Patel Architecture. Alta — a luxurious gated community of million-dollar homes in Palm Springs — is paving the way for some of the area’s most dramatic new architecture, starting with its pairing of gentle curves and extreme angles.

The judges’ statement says it all: “The butterfly roof lines and bold geometry ... might seem esoteric in other markets, but in mid-mod Palm Springs, they are entirely apropos. An inverted roof over the great room and kitchen is augmented by a large expanse of retractable glazing, making the most of killer mountain views. This realm spills onto a spacious outdoor pavilion, complete with a floating dining peninsula that juts out over the pool. Its interplay of stone cladding and smooth finished volumes, punctuated by deep openings, is downright artful.”
The Alta homes are a prime example of Patel’s fusion of “architectural creativity, attitude, and state-of-the-art construction.” Vanishing walls of glass and soaring rooftop angles follow in the architectural footsteps of the area’s greatest legends. Street names even pay their homage: Cody Court, Neutra Street, Lautner Lane, Wexler Way, and ... Patel Place. 

— Lisa Marie Rovito