Frey, Albert, 1903-1998

d. November 14, 1998.

Biographical/Historical note

born in Zürich, Switzerland, can Albert Frey received his architecture diploma in 1924where he studied for the Institute of technology in Winterthur. He apprenticed with the architect A.J. Arter was industrious enough to work construction jobs whenever possible to supplement his education.

Frey worked in Paris in 1924 with Le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret) and Pierre Jean­neret and left to continue work in the modern and international style architecture in the United States in 1928.

Albert Frey was a prolific writer and his architectural theory was widely distributed in numerous publications. His ideas about urban planning, a modern aesthetic, and technology combined to make him a pioneer of midcentury moderne architecture. His work in the California desert and Palm Springs became the best examples of what was at the time called Desert Modernism. Many of Albert Frey's works, like the Palm Springs City Hall, the Tramway Valley Station, fire Station number one, and the Tramway gas station in Palm Desert and Palm Springs are now designated as historic landmarks.

Albert Frey died in Palm Springs in 1998 and is buried at the Welwood Murray Cemetery.