Sunnylands
Sunnylands
Architect: A. Quincy Jones
Location: Rancho Mirage, CA
Year: 1966
Visited: June 2024
Why it matters: A desert retreat for presidents, royalty, and celebrities alike—where high design meets high diplomacy.
Why It’s Iconic:
There are few homes where global policy and impeccable design have shared cocktails under the same roof. Sunnylands—designed by A. Quincy Jones for Walter and Leonore Annenberg—is one of them.
From the outside, it’s all clean lines and soft pinkish lava stone blending into the desert landscape. Step inside, and it's a study in controlled opulence: walls of glass, monumental scale, and rooms made for both reflection and reception. The interiors, curated by William Haines and Ted Graber, strike a perfect balance between Old Hollywood and modern restraint.
But what elevates Sunnylands beyond aesthetic perfection is its role as the “Camp David of the West.” Presidents Eisenhower, Reagan, Bush, Obama—and even Queen Elizabeth—have walked these floors. It’s where diplomacy unfolded over rounds of golf and garden strolls, where peace talks and state visits happened under the desert sun.
The house feels like a living time capsule of American postwar optimism, wrapped in pink stone and desert air. Touring it is like stepping into a quietly powerful chapter of history.
Jeb Score
(Judging Every Building)
Design ★★★★★
Preservation ★★★★★
Livability ★★★★☆
Influence ★★★★★
Overall Iconicity ★★★★★
