Journal:  City National Bank

Statistics
Number of Pieces Unique Brick Types Number of Lights Mass (Pounds) Size (Inches) [LxWxH]
8775 672 45 421.35 26.8 x 28.2 x 10.2
Estimated Cost to Build
Bricks Lighting Supplies Display
$2470 $ 700 $ 250 $ TBD *

* Dependent on public art acceptance, installation location, display type, and other factors.  Values can range from $500 to >$3000.

Funding
Phase 1 - Build and Lighting Phase 2 - Public Display
$3420 Not Activated Yet

Journal:  City National Bank

Statistics

Number of Pieces:  8775

Unique Brick Types:  672

Number of Lights:  50

Mass (pounds): 21.35

Size (inches LxWxH): 26.8 x 28.2 x 10.2

Estimated Cost to Build

Bricks:  $2470

Lighting:  $ 700

Supplies:  $ 250

Display:  $ TBD *

Funding

Phase 1 – Build & Lighting:  $3420

Phase 2 – Public Display:  Not Activated Yet

* Dependent on public art acceptance, installation location, display type, and other factors.  Values can range from $500 to >$3000.

The former City National Bank building in downtown Palm Springs stands as a notable example of the city’s embrace of mid-century modern civic and commercial architecture. Constructed in 1960, the building was designed to project confidence, permanence, and modernity at a time when Palm Springs was rapidly transforming from a resort town into a year-round business and cultural center. Today, the structure continues its financial legacy as a Bank of America branch, maintaining its original purpose more than six decades later.

Architecturally, the building is defined by clean horizontal lines, strong geometric massing, and climate-responsive features typical of Desert Modernism. A prominent brise-soleil and deep overhangs help mitigate harsh desert sunlight while giving the façade a sculptural quality. The use of concrete, glass, and steel emphasized durability and modern construction methods, while large windows reinforced transparency – an intentional symbolic gesture for a financial institution. The building’s restrained elegance allowed it to feel both progressive and approachable, aligning with Palm Springs’ broader modernist identity.

The project was designed by Victor Gruen, a highly influential architect and urban designer best known for shaping postwar commercial architecture in the United States. Gruen’s work frequently balanced bold modern forms with human-scaled functionality, and his Palm Springs bank commission reflects that philosophy. Rather than monumental classicism, Gruen favored clarity, shading strategies, and logical circulation – principles that made his buildings well suited to both commerce and climate.

In recent years, the building underwent a careful restoration that respected its original design intent while updating systems and materials to modern standards. The work reinforced the structure’s architectural significance without altering its defining features, allowing it to continue serving the community as both a functional bank and a preserved piece of Palm Springs’ architectural heritage. Today, the former City National Bank building remains a quiet but confident landmark.

Victor Gruen (1903–1980) was an Austrian-born architect and urban planner who became one of the most influential figures in postwar American commercial architecture. After emigrating to the United States in the late 1930s, Gruen championed modernist design that balanced bold forms with human-scaled functionality, climate responsiveness, and social purpose. He is best known as the conceptual father of the enclosed suburban shopping mall – most notably Southdale Center in Minnesota – though he later criticized how malls evolved away from his original community-centered vision. Beyond retail, Gruen designed banks, civic buildings, and urban plans that emphasized pedestrian experience, shading strategies, and logical circulation, making his work especially well suited to warm climates like Southern California. His legacy remains complex but profound, shaping both mid-century modern architecture and the fabric of American cities.

  • This brick interpretation of the iconic City National Bank at 588 South Palm Canyon Drive captures the key design elements of the original structure, as best it fits into the brick system.

  • A prominent blue tile wall houses the bank vault, while the bulbous rounded roof is recreated. Full-height windows along the north and west sides flood the interior with natural light, and the curved entrance wall stands out as a key feature. The second-story window on the east side is faithfully replicated.

  • Inside, the design features a teller window, conference room, and a lobby office that evokes the 1960s aesthetic. The large lobby clock is also included.

  • On the second floor, you’ll find offices, an opaque hanging art piece, lobby plants, and safe deposit boxes filled with cash in the vault.

  • This design includes both interior and exterior lighting, as well as a variety of landscape additions.

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