ARCHITECTS

(September 1, 1924 – 1997)

Val Powelson was born in Los Angeles, studied structural engineering at UCLA, and was based in Los Angeles from the mid-1950s to late-1960s, when he worked with architect Jon Jerde. Powelson began as a licensed general building contractor, designer, and only became a licensed architect in 1986, AIA member from 1988.

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In the early days, he worked primarily on residential projects in the Los Angeles and Palm Springs areas. Several of his Hollywood Hills homes are still standing and admired for details such as folding plate rooflines or the incorporation of trees into the architecture. Powelson’s projects listed on the Register of Historic Resources in Rancho Mirage, California include the Gummo Marx Residence (1957), Da Vaal Estates residential cooperative units (1960), the Maranz Residence (1960), and the Morris-Weisbard Residence (1961). He also designed the Indian Wells Country Club House (1959), photographed by Julius Shulman.

He is noted as a contributor to the Palm Springs School of Architecture for his hyperbolic paraboloid rooflines, in particular the Maranz Residence.