House in 2 Parts

With two daughters preparing to leave for college, the clients aimed to downsize from their current home, while still allowing ample space for their daughters to return home from school and extended family visits.

To facilitate this ebb and flow, the form of the standard single-family home was evaluated and revised. The solution splits the home’s program into two parts; one half of the home would be used as the primary residence with the other used to accommodate returning children or guests. Over time, as the daughters move out of the home, this orientation will allow for at home care of aging parents while maintaining independence, or for additional income as a rentable property.

Compound forms with the same materials and details provide cohesion – a complete thought and singular composition – while alterations in the plan of these forms provide privacy and separation. Materials were selected to fit the adjacent context of the mountains. CMU in honed and split face mark the transition between levels, providing a textured feel to the block walls in contact with the earth and a polished feel to the second floor. Wrapping these forms are blackened copper panels, treated to create the pattern of color change corresponding to the mountains beyond.

The two parts are sited to reveal dramatic views to the Las Vegas Strip from the main public spaces while shielding the view upon entry.