Thunderbird Country Club: Rancho Mirage, CA.

Judges' Verdict: "When you make the decision to tear down a clubhouse where everyone who was anyone in the '50s--from Eisenhower to Bob Hope--hung out and played golf, you'd better do it right. The designers and builders did it better than right--they improved on an American original."

Robin Leach, eat your heart out--in all of your years of champagne wishes and caviar dreams you've never seen anything the likes of a single event in the glory days of the legendary Thunderbird Country Club in the desert getaway locale of Rancho Mirage, CA. It's a place that was made for name-dropping. Did we mention it was the birthplace of the first golf cart in 1954? From Sinatra and his cronies to Ginger Rogers and President Ford, Ginger Rogers, and Bob Hope, the cast of members and guests made every night at Thunderbird a celebrity-studded event.

But just as many of the Hollywood icons of Thunderbird's heyday had passed into history, the storied clubhouse was losing its cachet as it sought to woo a new generation of members. When it became clear that refurbishing the original clubhouse would not serve the needs of Thunderbird going forward, club leadership determined that the mission was to maintain the "feel" of the historic structure while bringing the club into a new century. Architects Altevers and Associates were charged with creating a Phoenix from the Thunderbird--a new clubhouse that somehow captured the architectural DNA of its predecessor.

Robert J. Altevers, AIA, immersed himself in the culture and tradition of Thunderbird before setting pencil to paper. To preserve the aura of the legendary club, Altevers used a casual California Ranch vernacular with some dramatically-updated design elements and materials. A stucco and stone exterior replaced board/batten siding, and hand-selected Ozark stone accented battered columns to support the new expansive roof overhangs and the many fireplaces.

"The true essence of Thunderbird Country Club is the people ... the friendships and the memories that were established during the long history of the club. We did not want to totally change the look or the feeling of the environment; our goal was to evoke the sophistication and elegance of the long-time membership in a modernized version of the aging structures," Altevers said. "We are very proud to have been part of this project, to work so closely with the membership to accomplish their goals and revitalize the spirit of Thunderbird."

Credits

Architect of Record: Altevers and Associates, Robert J. Altevers, AIA.

Interior Designer: Altevers International, Aimee Altevers.

Landscape Architect: Horton Shepardson Associates, Mike Horton.

General Contractor: Roel Construction.

Project Highlights

Architecture: California Ranch style, stucco, and stone.

Materials: Hand-selected Ozark stone is a major focal point, accenting columns, support walls for expansive roof overhangs, and many fireplaces.

Exterior Features: Dramatic porte cochere, incorporating sloped roof w/concrete roof tiles.

Notable Spaces: Courtyard oasis with lush landscaping, waterfall and monumental fireplace with copper-wrapped chimney; Traditional wine cellar with wood beam ceiling and stone walls.

Design Accents: Original works of art commissioned for design.

Operational Wins: Energy efficiency in the hot desert climate achieved naturally by roof overhangs shading the structure, insulated exterior windows, natural lighting in public spaces, dimmable low voltage light fixtures, and computer-controlled mechanical and electrical systems to control lighting, cooling, and heating.

Square Footage/Areas Affected: 48,000-sq.-ft. new clubhouse, 6,400-sq.-ft new health and fitness center. Renovation of existing sales and administration, pro shop, and halfway house.

Thunderbird At-a-Glance

Claim(s) To Fame: First golf cart was introduced here; the club is also the Ford Thunderbird's namesake

Famous Members: Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Bing Crosby, Presidents Ford and Eisenhower, Ginger Rogers, Hoagy Carmichael.

Famous Golfers: Pros Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer, amateurs Randolph Scott and Bob Hope.