Like Oppenheim’s Las Vegas proposal, his Kaufmann Desert House in Palm Springs is intentionally low key, although it is still a sizeable construction. Most important is Richard Neutra, the southern California designer who developed an architecture suitable for that region’s arid climate. “Our response to this grand proposition was to establish moments of sincerity derived from experiential impetus rather than archaic and irreverent symbolism.”Īlthough his style is new to Las Vegas, Oppenheim acknowledges the influence of three architects famous for their work in desert conditions. “The Bungalows, Residences and Flats were conceived as an opportunity to bring high architecture to the aesthetic desert of Las Vegas,” explains Oppenheim. His aim is sincerity of form and function, he explains, rather than the kitsch homages to Pharaonic Egypt and Renaissance Italy seen on the Strip. With an emphasis on glass frontages and simple lines, Oppenheim brings an understated elegance to Las Vegas that is diametrically opposed to the gaudy confections for which the city is famous.
He is already set to alter the skyline of his new home city, with four developments currently under construction, the tallest of which is the 50-storey, 178m Ten Museum Park. A native New Yorker, Oppenheim has redefined condominium living in south Florida through his minimalist design, most notably in the firm’s current base of Miami. To plan the expansion, Morton has called on Chad Oppenheim.
