Palm Springs Modernism Week 2026: striking photos of Palm Springs at night

Palm Springs at Night, shot and shown as an evening tour story during palm springs modernism week 2026

Park Imperial South. Barry Berkus. 1960. Address: 1750-1844 S. Araby Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264

(Image credit: Trey Burnette)

Jump to category:

Palm Springs at night with Trey Burnette
Your Palm Springs Modernism Week itinerary

As Palm Springs Modernism Week 2026 approaches and the city prepares to throw itself into the West Coast's biggest celebration of midcentury architecture, tickets are being booked, and programmes are being browsed in an effort to secure a spot at many of the festival's coveted annual events. At the same time, the desert city's modernist architecture marvels are there year-round – albeit many might not be available to visit outside the Modernism Week's activities.

Photographer Trey Burnette captures Palm Springs at night

Enter, local photographer Trey Burnette, whose admiration for all things 20th century – and all things Palm Springs – led him to capture his home city in a unique way; photographing its midcentury offerings at night. Ahead of the Palm Springs Modernism Week 2026 launch, we caught up with him and let him take us on a journey through the city, after dusk.

Palm Springs at night with Trey Burnette

Wallpaper*: Why Palm Springs?

Trey Burnette: Fate, I guess. My mother’s family settled in the deserts of western Texas and eastern New Mexico in the 1800s. My mother was born in Los Angeles, but shortly after her birth, my grandmother and her daughters returned to New Mexico. I was born in Memphis, but I spent much of my early childhood in the Arizona desert after my mother escaped my father’s abuse. The desert was always a place of healing for my family.

7 things not to miss in Palm Springs

Eight years ago, I was living in Los Angeles and hit a point when I needed to take all of my experiences and lessons and reset my life. I had a therapist who noticed that all my survivals and accomplishments had been done with force and that it was time I let things happen with ease. Palm Springs seemed easy. Shortly before my mom died on my sixteenth birthday, we had considered moving here from nearby Riverside, and I had spent a lot of time here as an adult. I loved the architecture, landscape, and energy, so the move seemed natural.

W*: Why shoot during the night?

TB: The light in Palm Springs is beautiful, but I think a lot of people forget that the night is a variation of that beauty. Palm Springs has a dark-sky policy that keeps light pollution to a minimum. The stars, moon, mountains, trees, and minimal man-made light give Palm Springs a special texture and depth at night. I think the illumination of the classic modernist lines of the architecture against that texture and depth is quite striking. Most architectural photography is done in daylight; people forget that the architecture also lives at night. The shadows and contrast of illumination and darkness give the lines and form of structures a distinct and enhanced quality not seen in the sun.

I have always found beauty in dark places; I did this innately as a child in some of my scariest moments. Finding a light in the dark is a way to acknowledge a greater, more glorious truth beyond any current unpleasant circumstance. Dark places serve as a place to find our brightness.

W*: Talk to me about how you selected your subjects.

TB: There are many iconic structures in Palm Springs, but there are also many lesser-known but equally important examples of mid-century architecture here. I wanted to look at the icons in a new way and bring some visibility to underappreciated works. I had an idea of subjects I wanted to photograph, but when an unplanned structure caught my eye, I parked my car, got out, and took the shot. Finding illuminated structures that were framed by the night and uncluttered was key to a shot.

W*: Do you think modernist architecture has a specific appeal to photographers?

TB: I do not know; I know my own tastes tend to favour modernist and contemporary architecture and design. However, for me, I find it more compelling to put my tastes aside and look at all architecture and art with curiosity. I like to understand what an architect, artist, and movement were trying to achieve during that period. I think that approach lends itself to not only appreciating the design, as well as giving insight into the culture and technology of the time. The more I understand a subject, the more I can put my voice into a photo.

I recently travelled to Barcelona a couple of times and toured most of Antoni Gaudí’s landmark works, examples of Catalan modernism. On the surface, his work is very different from the modernism in Palm Springs, but when one understands the driving forces behind the designs (the use of new technologies, incorporating natural light, and addressing modern living), one sees the underlying relationships and principles for great design. This is why I look to the great photographers for inspiration, what fundamentals made their work innovative and keep their work relevant.

W*: Tell me more about your methods and way of working. Do you shoot on film?

TB: I tend to let my intuition lead when I create. Most of my work has been done or initiated when I have been out exploring the world and am captivated by something beautiful, striking, or unsettling—maybe all three.

I did my first photo series of a night out on the Sunset Strip in high school with a disposable camera. It was a storytelling project, and my English teacher said I had something, but I didn’t want to believe I had that talent, so I went on my way. When iPhones and Instagram came along, I started getting requests to use my photos of places I had visited. I finally bought a proper camera, a Leica V-lux 5, and started shooting with more intention. My work started getting published, and in 2024, I got an honourable mention in my first show with the Los Angeles Center of Photography. I wanted to improve, so I did a photo review. The pros told me I had a natural eye but needed to work on my processing skills. I took some classes taught by Josh Withers and Rollence Patugan at LACP. I love education and know there is always something to learn.

My work has been digital, but I am taking Barbara Boissevain’s dark room class, so I am now also shooting on film. I recently took Eric Joseph’s printing class and learned how much different types of paper affect photos. I finally bought strobe lighting and have been doing studio work. All are fascinating processes.

W*: Is there anything specific on the technical side that is special about this particular project?

TB: An understanding of the relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO was imperative for getting the best shots for this series. But I think the biggest lessons with this project were practising patience and having a willingness to keep on when things weren’t working.

W*: How long did it take you to capture the series? How many buildings does it include in total?

TB: I went out on four nights close to midnight for about four or five hours. Then I did one shorter night to shoot a structure I missed. In the end, there are twenty-three structures in the series.

W*: The Palm Springs Modernism Week is coming up. Do you have your eye on any specific events?

TB: I recently finished writing a comedic novel and TV series set in Palm Springs about a photographer living in a Paul R. Williams building, so I am definitely seeing Designing the Desert, and Other Landscapes: The Architecture of Paul R. Williams. I will also see Googie, a few other documentaries, take a tour I haven’t done, and check out the Modernism Art District Tour. I recommend taking a bus tour for first timers; they give an informational overview of everything one might want to see.

Your Palm Springs Modernism Week 2026 itinerary

Newcomers Reception at CAMP

california desert architecture kaufmann house — One of Palm Springs' most famous homes, the Kaufmann House by Richard Neutra, seen here, rubs shoulders with a number of lesser known pieces of architecture every year during Modernism Week

First time in Palm Springs during the festival, and unsure what to choose to visit? This event, which mixes newcomers with seasoned visitors and locals, aims to answer all the questions a Palm Springs Modernism Week novice might have.

When: 12 February 2026, 02:00 PM
Where: CAMP, Hyatt Palm Springs

Keynote Presentation: Elizabeth Diller, Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Repeat Cartier Fondation collaborators Charles Renfro, Ricardo Scofidio and Elizabeth Diller of architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro, photographed for our October issue (W* 187). Photography: Cedric Bihr — Repeat Cartier Fondation collaborators Charles Renfro (left), Ricardo Scofidio (middle) and Elizabeth Diller (right) of architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro, photographed for our October issue (W* 187) in 2014

Keynote presenter for this year's Modernism Week, renowned architect and co-founder Liz Diller of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, will be talking about her work in a dedicated, one-off event during the festival.

When: 14 February 2026, 12:59 PM to 03:30 PM
Where: Annenberg Theater, Palm Springs Art Museum

The Charles & Ray Eames Foundation: Preserving Legacy, Inspiring the Future

Case Study House #8, designed by Charles and Ray Eames for themselves, was one of roughly two dozen homes built as part of a programme initiated by Arts &amp; Architecture magazine in 1945 — Case Study House #8, designed by Charles and Ray Eames for themselves, was one of roughly two dozen homes built as part of a programme initiated by Arts & Architecture magazine in 1945

In a special talk, Eames Demetrios (grandson of Charles and Ray Eames and chairman of the board of the Charles & Ray Eames Foundation) and Adrienne Luce, the foundation's executive director, will be taking the conversation around modernism to LA, discussing the Eames' lasting influence in the field.

When: 18 February 2026, 09:00 AM
Where: Annenberg Theater, Palm Springs Art Museum

2026 World Monuments Fund / Knoll Modernism Prize Ceremony

Celebrate one of the world's biggest honours in modernist design and attend the 2026 World Monuments Fund / Knoll Modernism Prize Ceremony, taking place this year at Palm Springs during the festival - and learn all about this year's winner, the Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

When: 18 February 2026
Where: Annenberg Theater, Palm Springs Art Museum

Palm Springs Modernism Week runs 12-22 February 2026

modernismweek.com

TOPICS

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).

As Palm Springs Modernism Week 2026 launches, we tour the city at night