Aptly nicknamed a "man of steel", Desert Modern-style architect Donald Wexler was known for his affordable sleek steel homes and was one of the principal figures who influenced Palm Springs' iconic modernist aesthetic that has increased in popularity in the last 15 years or so, attracting thousands of visitors from around the world. Described by close colleagues as a modest and insightful man, Wexler passed away at the age of 89 this past Friday, June 26 in his Palm Desert home. The Desert Sun reports that he died after dealing with an undisclosed brief illness.

Born on Jan. 23, 1926 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Wexler made his way to Southern California after graduating from the University of Minnesota. In California, Wexler worked as an apprentice for Richard Neutra for nine months before moving to Palm Springs when he landed a job in William Francis Cody's firm. In 1952, Wexler established Wexler & Harrison with Richard Harrison, a colleague he met at Cody's firm, but the two went their separate ways by the early 1960s. Wexler built an array of homes, schools, and institutional and commercial buildings in the Coachella Valley throughout his career that spanned the later half of the 20th century to his retirement in 2002.

Some of his notable designs in Palm Springs include the Eisenhower Health Center, the Palm Springs International Airport, and the Wexler & Harrison-designed cluster of seven all-steel homes -- which are all locally categorized as Class I Historic Sites, with Steel House Development No. 2 as part of the National Register of Historic Places (and others that are actually on the market). The homes were part of a larger plan to construct 38 prefab houses that took less than 30 days to complete, and are widely acclaimed as a milestone in bringing stylish desert climate-resilient homes to middle-class residents.

Funeral arrangements are underway, but no further details have been announced as of yet.

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