MFAH: Lecture | Restoring Hope

Thursday, May 18, 2023
Restoring Hope: The Restoration of the Bob and Dolores Hope House in Palm Springs
Go behind the scenes of designing, building, and restoring the spectacular home of entertainer Bob Hope in Palm Springs, California.

In 1969, Bob and Dolores Hope commissioned architect John Lautner to design a new home for them on the highest building site in Palm Springs. The house was conceived as a shelter from the sun and wind, with private family quarters on the upper floor, a large entertainment space on the lower level—and 360-degree views.

After many delays, the final design was started in 1977, and the completed house was much different from Lautner’s original plan. In 1995, a new addition further disrupted the original concept. In 2016, businessman Ron Burkle purchased the house with the goal of bringing the property closer to Lautner’s original intent. Burkle hired Lautner’s long-time chief architect, Helena Arahuete—the original project architect—and designer Tim Gleason to handle the restoration. In this talk, Gleason discusses the project and shows images of the completed home.

About the Speaker
Tim Gleason is a designer, craftsman, consultant, and curator with more than 30 years’ experience in architectural preservation and the decorative-arts field. He was the project manager and designer for the restoration of the Bob Hope house.

Plan Your Visit
Admission is free. The lecture takes place in Brown Auditorium Theater in the Law Building, with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. On Thursdays, the Museum is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. with free general admission.