For years, my modernist compass has pointed toward California.

Joseph Eichler's courtyard homes and those warm, human-scaled Claude Oakland-era modernists have been some of my go‑to references when thinking about indoor–outdoor living, attainable design, and how "regular people" can inhabit good architecture.

Somewhere along that journey, I missed a major landmark: William F. Cody (1916-1978), the Palm Springs architect celebrated in the documentary Desert Maverick (01:17:15) on the Shelter streaming channel.

Discovering Cody this week has felt less like adding a new name to the list and more like opening a whole new wing of the same museum.​

Shelter deserves real credit here. Shelter is a subscription video platform created specifically for "design nerds."

More on that later (plus a gift), but first, what I learned about the "other Bill Cody."

Desert Maverick – The Singular Architecture of William F. Cody is the first in-depth exploration of Cody's works.

It captures Cody's style and brings it to life through contemporary cinematography, complemented with Julius Shulman's classic photography, and includes side interviews with Rick Holden (former employee), Alan Hess (architect), Adele Cygelman (journalist on interior design), and Sidney Williams (former curator of architecture and design for the Palm Springs Art Museum).

What I discovered with Cody's work is a different take on "California modern" compared to the usual Eichler suburbs or Cliff May ranch houses. It's still all about light and openness, but it feels like it was designed for a harsher sun, with more shade and a better understanding of the local climate.

The documentary follows him from early projects like the 1947 Del Marcos Hotel through his best‑known houses and clubs, tracing a consistent philosophy: buildings that are inseparable from their desert sites, tuned to sun, wind, views, and outdoor living.

Rather than treating the desert as an enemy to be shut out with walls and mechanical systems, Cody used deep overhangs, breezeways, screened courts, and a restrained material palette to make the climate an active design partner.​

Cody mastered using light and shadow: clerestories, long glass walls, and thin floating roofs draw daylight deep into the plan, while overhangs, screen walls, and planting keep those same spaces protected from glare and from prying eyes.​

After watching the documentary, my research led me to the historical district nomination form for Cody's Racquet Club Garden Villas. In it, I found a detailed drawing of the breeze block Cody designed to mimic a tennis net.

Desert Maverick also sharpened my eye for composing space. The residences often start with simple single‑story pavilions or pinwheel plans that wrap around pools and courtyards, so the real "center" of the house is outside.

Open‑plan living, dining, and kitchen spaces are stitched directly to terraces, while bedrooms branch into clearly zoned wings, each with its own small patio or court, maintaining privacy without sacrificing openness.

For my own craft—and for any residential designer who cares about livable modernism—the documentary offers three durable reminders.

First, start with the site: study sun paths, breezes, and topography until the plan almost seems to be carved from the land, with outdoor rooms doing as much functional work as the conditioned square footage.

Second, treat natural light as a material, shaping it with openings, rooflines, and level changes so it defines zones, animates surfaces, and supports well‑being over the course of the day.

Third, pursue simplicity and thinness: quiet geometry, honest structure, and disciplined roof and wall profiles can make modest homes feel both elegant and timeless, without drifting into cold minimalism.​

Cody took a distinct approach to every project, crafting work that was unmistakably his own while avoiding being confined to a single "style." This versatility may be why his name isn't more widely recognized.

I've always admired Eichler's courts and Oakland's warm modernism, but discovering Cody through Shelter was such a great reminder that there's always more to learn beyond what we think we know.

Shelter is like MasterClass, but exclusively for architecture and design. Just like MasterClass, I found it readily available on Roku.

Last week, I had the privilege of connecting virtually with award-winning Australian actor Dustin Clare to discuss his exciting new role as founder & managing director of Shelter: The Architecture Collection.

Dustin, not only an actor but also a filmmaker, has long been passionate about design and architecture. As a producer, his portfolio includes acclaimed TV series such as Tiny Spaces, Design Story, Permanent Camping, and Architecture on the Edge.

The Shelter library includes other full‑length documentaries, episodic series, and "snackable" short features, along with Shelter Originals such as the Inspired Architecture series, which explores distinctive houses and other projects through interviews with architects and clients.

I'm thrilled to share that Dustin and Shelter have officially joined AIBD as our newest Corporate Industry Partner. Dustin shares in the excitement, stating: "We appreciate this partnership approach and look forward to working together to engage and inspire your community of professional designers."

And to celebrate, he is offering AIBD members a 30% discount on the monthly Shelter subscription rate.

Ready to claim your seven-day free trial and AIBD discount?

Simply log in to your AIBD.org/membership-account and find the direct redemption link under the "Quick Links" and "Discount Codes" sections. You can cancel the subscription at any time.

Shelter runs like other streaming platforms. The interface and discovery tools are similar to Netflix, but every recommendation you see focuses on architecture, design, and the built environment, so your viewing time always feeds your design brain.

For a residential building designer, Shelter functions as a constantly available case‑study library, showing real projects with narrative, context, and critical perspectives rather than just glossy stills.

Its films unpack site response, structure, material choices, and lived experience, giving you ideas you can adapt to your own work and helping you communicate design value to clients.

Just in time for the holidays!