Dancing Light

The primary objective was to create a comfortable modern home that celebrates nature while paying homage to the 180-degree iconic mountain view. Given the large site, the home is conceived as a collection of related yet separate structures, placing the guesthouse across the main entry court where it becomes a compositional piece of the arrival experience and forms a dialog with the main residence.

Desert form, indigenous materials, natural light and iconic mountain views inspire the 5,600SF home. Layered walls of rammed-earth, metal, concrete and glass define both private and open living areas.

Interior spaces are arranged about an atrium, allowing daylight and cooling breezes to be modulated throughout the day. Soaring high above the great room and outdoor living room, providing shelter from the hot desert sun, is a floating canopy of shifting wood planes whose form appears pulled by the commanding mountain view.

Natural light brings this home to life, seeping in through carefully articulated gaps between building planes or reflecting off the shimmering pool. The ever-changing light transforms the mood of the home, at times dancing across the fractured planes of earth and wood while at other times providing a Zen-like sense of calm.