Coachella Valley Savings No. 1

Coachella Valley Savings No. 1

Company type	Building
Industry	Architecture
Founded	1955 (1955)
Headquarters	Palm Springs , United States
Products	Banking office (original), event venue (current)

Coachella Valley Savings No. 1 stands as a notable example of modernist architecture located in Palm Springs, California. Created by architect E. Stewart Williams and finalized in 1955, the building initially served as a savings and loan office before being transformed into an event venue now called The Bank Palm Springs.

History

This structure was commissioned to serve as the inaugural branch of Coachella Valley Savings and Loan, marking E. Stewart Williams' first banking design in the region. Situated on South Palm Canyon Drive, it played a significant role in shaping the financial district of Palm Springs throughout the 1950s and 1960s, surrounded by multiple banking establishments. Nearby banks designed by Williams include Santa Fe Federal Savings and Loan—currently the Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center—and Coachella Valley Savings No. 2, which now operates as a Chase Bank branch. This building continues to exemplify Williams' architectural influence on the commercial landscape of Coachella Valley.

Design

Exemplifying mid-century modern architecture, Coachella Valley Savings No. 1 merges the practical elements of the International Style with adaptations suited for the desert environment. The structure is characterized by its white cubic form elevated on stilts to provide sheltered parking underneath. It features expansive floor-to-ceiling glass panels adorned with vertical aluminum louvers. Inside, notable design elements include a floating terrazzo staircase, black terrazzo flooring, wood-paneled walls, and a gracefully curved wall constructed from indigenous rock materials.