Casa Marana

A Modern Approach to Traditional Adobe

Casa Marana is a small home built in the desert outside of Tucson Az with views of the Tortolita and Catalina Mountains. The residence integrates with the landscape by using careful massing, natural materials and preserving the existing topography and vegetation.

The home is oriented around a natural alignment of several saguaro cacti that lead you through the site. The entry sequence begins over a bridge that connects the garage with the main house and preserves a natural arroyo that runs through the property. The home is organized as 3 adobe boxes that contain the private areas of the home such as the master suite, den and laundry and a guest house. A main roof connects the masses and houses the public and social program of the residence: the kitchen, living room and dining area.

18” adobe bricks serve as structure and interior/ exterior finish. The client requested that this ancient building material be updated to a modern aesthetic, so we designed using tall, narrow openings with steel lintels and left the natural, coarse texture. Contrasting with the adobe are steel panels left to weather naturally. Photovoltaics and the thermal mass of the adobe walls ensures that currently, the home creates more energy than it uses.

Antiques and art from the area (both old and new) are showcased throughout the property. An antique door hung in a modern steel frame marks the entrance to the home. Cut out steel panels in the entry courtyard are abstracted ochatillo plants and art niches made of steel are integrated into the adobe walls.