According to palmspringslife, in the 1960’s architect Don Wexler designed seven all steel modular homes in North Palm Springs, Calif. in conjunction with the Alexander Group, each selling for $14,000. The intent was to build 36 homes but the price of materials became prohibitive, as everything except the concrete foundation, plumbing and electrical was steel. The last of the seven recently sold for $365,000 and the new owners intend to renovate it to its original condition and rent it out as a vacation house. The two-bedroom, two-bath, 1,532 square foot house features an open floor plan, simple lines, and a folded steel plate roof line that forms an air baffle designed to draw heat away from the rooms and create shaded areas over the windows. MHProNews has learned one of the homes is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Paul Kaplan of the Paul Kaplan Group says, “Part of the reasoning behind the all-steel construction is its ability to withstand the heat and windy nature of the Palm Springs area.”

(Photo credit: James Butchart/palmspringslife–steel modular home)