Perimeter Pink Wall Architect: John N. Vogley General contractor: Robert McKay 1995–1996 Height: 6’–6’8” Width: 6” Length≈ 5,000’ Color: Peach Parfait by Dunn Edwards

Talking points:

One of the most asked-about features of the Sunnylands estate is the perimeter wall, painted a surprising pink, or more specifically, Dunn Edwards Peach Parfait.1 During the final stages of its construction in 1996, multiple Desert Sun articles featured the public reaction with headlines titled “The Residents Blink at Annenberg Pink" and "What's a mile-long, seven feet tall, and pink all over?"2 The Rancho Mirage city council members echoed their sentiment after reviewing the final development plan of the wall,3 stating that, “recently the city was made aware of your desire to more closely match the painted pink at the main gate. The city staff report does not recommend the painted color.”4

What drove the Annenbergs to this unconventional wall finish? According to estate manager, “the concept is made simple in design - - -preserving the privacy of the home. The proposed design element also blends with the architectural integrity of the rest of the property.”5 Put simply: it matches the house. The original 1966 estate design used Peach Parfait to compliment the surrounding mountain ranges which reflect this color at sunrise and sunset.6 Similar hues of Peach Parfait accent the home interior as well as the rooftop, retaining wall, and raised flower beds. The original 1966 landscape design used pink-blooming oleanders to mask the perimeter chain-link fence.7 When the oleander blight of the 1990s swept through the desert, the Sunnylands estate manager commented: “This proud estate has become plagued with a plant disease that has become a blight to its prestige.”8 Something had to be done about the skeletal bushes. In September 1995, architect John N. Vogley & Associates, ASLA, and general contractor Robert McKay Construction Inc. planned the new border, a 6-foot 8-inch wall composed of CMU brick, grooved with a symmetrical square pattern, and painted bright pink.9 It barricades half of the property covering approximately 5,000 lineal feet.10

The Annenberg estate has truly been a source of mystery. At times, the roads around the property have been completely barricaded by policemen guarding the path of a motorcade in transit. On New Year’s Eve, sixty11 or more flashy vehicles passed through the guarded gate on Frank Sinatra Drive. For many years, curious residents of the Coachella Valley have wondered what it’s like on the other side. The addition of the pink wall in 1995 increased that air of mystery, serving as a visual reminder and a monument of the privacy of Sunnylands.

Common Tour Questions:

How long did it take to build the pink wall? Vogley’s architectural plans date to as early as February 199512 and include a service road study for tree planting as late as April 1996.13 These plans include plantings and sidewalk additions. The actual masonry went up between the months of November and January14.

What kind of brick is used for the pink wall? The pink perimeter wall is a Proto II masonry block system using 6x8x16 single vertical block closed-end scored on both sides.15

Is the trapezoidal burm section of the pink wall made of concrete masonry unit (CMU) bricks like the straight part of the walls are? Yes.16

Why is the wall only six-feet-eight-inches high? Doesn’t the low height pose a threat to security? At the time, the city engineer of Rancho Mirage enforced this height limit on the wall.17

Did the Annenbergs use security cameras along the wall? Records filed with the city of Rancho Mirage indicate: “When the wall is completed the applicant intends to further ensure the perimeter security with sophisticated techniques which will not be noticed from the exterior.”18 The Annenbergs used large video camera equipment on the perimeter walls as a security measure.

Are the bricks integrally mixed to be pink throughout or are they painted? Although the Annenbergs’ first choice was to use integrally pigmented CMU bricks, the samples proved to be an undesirably light pink. The Annenbergs decided to have the brick walls painted instead.19

How many bricks were used in the pink wall? Approximately 45,000 bricks were used for the 5,000 linear foot pink brick wall.20

Is it true that the installation of the pink wall caused some controversy? While the wall color was not recommended by the city council, was discussed in the local newspapers, and was disliked by a few neighbors who said “It’s just gone one step too far,”21 other members of the community defended it. Susan Marx, the widow of comedian Harpo Marx, was among them, stating, “It's cheaper than flowers—you don't have to water it. And if you don't like it, don't drive past it.”22

I heard that Walter Annenberg wasn’t permitted to golf at the local golf courses because he was Jewish and so he built his own golf course and put a pink wall around it as a form of insult to the community. Is this true? No. The Annenbergs golfed at the Tamarisk golf club before building Sunnylands. They also did not paint the wall pink until many years after building the house.