Modernism in the American Desert · Sian Winship · Palm Springs

Event Details

Part of the Modernism in the American Desert symposium, this talk explores how architects and designers shaped a distinctive vision of modern life in the arid landscapes of the American West. Through climate, light, and material, the desert became both inspiration and laboratory for innovation—revealing how modernism took root and flourished across the region.

Sian Winship

Sian is the President of the Society of Architectural Historians/Southern California Chapter (SAH/SCC). In this capacity, she created numerous tours and educational programs celebrating modern residential architecture in the Southwest including “Out of the Shadow” an exploration of modern architecture in Phoenix after the passing of Frank Lloyd Wright and “Bakersfield Built,” a multi-decade symposium designed to raise awareness of modern architecture in that city. Sian is a professional preservation consultant. Sian was a contributing author to the award- winning SurveyLA Japanese American Context Statement, Women’s Rights Context Statement, and the Long Beach Suburbanization and Race Context Statement. She has written historic context statements for several municipalities including Pasadena, Ventura, Paramount, Beverly Hills, and Glendale. She was also a contributing author to William Krisel’s Palm Springs and The Palm Springs School: Desert Modernism 1934-1975. In 2011, Sian earned her Masters of Historic Preservation (MHP) from USC. She is currently an adjunct professor in that program. She is also the Secretary of the Neutra Institute for Survival Through Design. At Tucson Modernism Week, Sian will discuss The Architecture of Optimism: Psychographics and the Built Environment in the American Southwest.