Robert and Helene Alexander of the influential Alexander Construction Company lounge inside the space-age Palm Springs house designed by architect William Krisel.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY PALM SPRINGS LIFE ARCHIVES
Built in the early 1960s by architect William Krisel for Robert and Helene Alexander of the influential Alexander Construction Company, the space-age structure in Palm Springs’ Vista Las Palmas neighborhood was initially known as the Alexander Estate before being dubbed the House of Tomorrow in a 1962 edition of Look magazine.
Krisel’s design features a dramatic A-frame roof atop three levels. Inside, walls of rock and glass surround groovy sunken living areas. In the center, a fireplace appears as if it’s levitating.
The stylish five-bedroom, 5,000-square-foot pad later achieved celebrity status — and the new nickname Elvis Presley Honeymoon Hideaway — after The King of Rock and Roll famously leased the estate and began an extended honeymoon there with Priscilla Presley on May 1, 1967.
With its forward-looking design and pop culture pedigree, the extraordinary home serves as an untouchable Palm Springs landmark that visitors still can’t help falling in love with after six decades. And, with a recent acquisition, it’s one whose own future is untold.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JAY JORGENSEN
All Shook Up
After six years on the market, the house located at 1350 Ladera Circle was recently purchased for $2.6 million by a buyer who plans to fully restore the property to its 1960s roots. As part of the sale, an assortment of Elvis Presley memorabilia from the home was auctioned online.