A paragon of modern desert architecture becomes an art gallery

In Palm Springs, California, where Desert Modern architecture was born and developed, the must-see is a trophy home designed by one of the masters of the movement. Within this magic circle is William F. Cody, who trained in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California and the offices of Cliff May. In 1946, he moved to Palm Springs, where he designed hotels, country clubs, and homes much admired for their clean lines and glass walls overlooking desert landscaping. Recently, Peter Blake, who directs the homonymous art gallery in Laguna Beach, rented the house Cody had built for himself and temporarily converted it into a pop-up gallery dubbed Blakehaus (until April 2) featuring works by some of the artists it represents, including Lita Albuquerque, Gisela Colón and Philip K. Smith III.

“They are Light and spacee artists,” says Blake, standing in the living room, “and it’s kind of a house of light and space. The piece is framed in glass and easily blends into the home’s kitchen, dining room and office, with the bedrooms around the edges. There are also sweeping views of the property, with its groupings of rocks and cacti tastefully arranged in different sizes and shapes. “Each room has stairs going up or down, all rooms open onto courtyards,” he says. “Cody fused nature and architecture.”

The gallery owner has selected collectible furniture and accessories to complement the art and architecture. In the living room, for example, four Afra and Tobia Scarpa leather armchairs and accent chairs are grouped around a circular Pierre Chapo coffee table. On the next wall there is a large sculpture of Smith, Portal 6 (2016), which resembles a human iris. In the background is the 8 foot high pass Parabolic Monolith (Polaris) (2023), which gives off an iridescent glow. The chairs are a particular highlight of the pop-up, including a curvaceous Jean-Pierre Laporte Chanterelle in white and a vintage theater chair by Carlo Molino.

Renting the house from the current owners – an architect couple who live in another house in Palm Springs – Blake has taken out all of their furniture and moved into their inventory. The transition was done quickly so that the pop-up was ready in time for both Modernism Week (February 16-26) and at the opening of the last Biennial Desert X (March 4-May 7).

Blake estimates it cost him $40,000 to complete the project, including moving, installing and renting, but he seems remarkably relaxed about the payoff. “I never thought we were going to make money,” he says, despite selling pieces and having around 400 visitors on a recent Saturday. “For me, it was an opportunity to live, breathe and eat Cody for two months. It’s just an amazing experience to live here.

• Blakehausthrough April 2, Peter Blake Gallery pop-up in Palm Springs, CA