Placed delicately in its context, architecture firm DUST's Tucson Mountain Retreat is situated on the outskirts of the lush Sonoran Desert, designed in direct response to its intriguing setting. The architects, who describe the project as being ‘rooted in the desert’, have created a striking rammed earth dwelling that makes minimum impact on its fragile environment. It seamlessly blends into the surrounding Arizona landscape, featuring elegant, clean lines and a minimalist aesthetic – making it the perfect backdrop for our September issue’s ‘High noon’ fashion shoot.
The house was meticulously positioned to optimise sun exposure without excessive solar heat gain and to allow for uninterrupted 360-degree views. The initial decision to use rammed earth greatly informed the design and construction of the property and played a crucial role in the process of submerging the home into the landscape.
Take an interactive tour of Tucson Mountain Retreat
The home’s designated car parking space is kept at bay, strategically positioned 400 feet from the entrance, requiring visitors to approach it by foot. As water is geographically scarce, the architects’ design incorporates a 30,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system to service the house all year round. The low, horizontal home stretches along an east-west axis, with the sleeping areas extending into a number of patios which open towards the south, protected by the intense desert sun by deep overhangs.
The internal program is separated into three zones: living, sleeping and entertainment areas. These three areas occupy a different section of the structure and the visitor has to step outside one in order to enter the next. This gesture both allows a level of privacy between uses, and urges the inhabitants to be at one with the breathtaking desert landscape.
The ‘High noon’ fashion shoot is featured in the September 2016 issue of Wallpaper* (W*210)
The home is divided into three clear zones: the living areas, the bedrooms and the entertainment quarters
An earthy, warm aesthetic is afforded via the rammed earth construction, whereby soil is compacted into architectural formwork
A series of sculptural concrete steps greets visitors and leads them to the main entrance
The architects describe their design as being 'rooted in the desert', due to its pared down natural aesthetic that blends seamlessly with its setting
Excessive solar heat gain has been avoided by orienting the house on an east-west axis and by reducing door and window openings along these façades
Information
For more information on the Tucson Mountain Retreat, visit the DUST website or the Tucson Mountain Retreat website
Photography: Bill Timmerman
-
Wallpaper* checks in at the refreshed W Hollywood: ‘more polish and less party’The W Hollywood introduces a top-to-bottom reimagining by the Rockwell Group, capturing the genuine warmth and spirit of Southern California
-
Book a table at Row on 5 in London for the dinner party of dreamsRow on 5, located on the storied Savile Row, emerges as a perfectly tailored fit for fans of fine dining
-
How a bijou jewellery salon in Monaco set the jewellery trends for 2025Inside the inaugural edition of Joya, where jewellery is celebrated as miniature works of art
-
A vacant Tribeca penthouse is transformed into a bright, contemporary eyrieA Tribeca penthouse is elevated by Peterson Rich Office, who redesigned it by adding a sculptural staircase and openings to the large terrace
-
We walk through Luther George Park and its new undulating pavilionLuther George Park by Trahan Architects and landscape architects Spackman Mossop Michaels opens to the public, showcasing a striking new pavilion installation – take a first look
-
A vibrant new waterfront park opens in San FranciscoA waterfront park by leading studio Scape at China Basin provides dynamic public spaces and coastal resilience for San Francisco's new district of Mission Rock
-
Tekαkαpimək Contact Station: a building ‘as inspiring as the endless forest and waterways of the land’The new Tekαkαpimək Contact Station by Saunders Architecture with Reed Hilderbrand and Alisberg Parker Architects, opens at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in the USA
-
Entelechy II: architect John Portman's majestic beach home hits the marketEntelechy II, architect John Portman's beach residence in Georgia, USA, goes on the market; roll up, roll up for a home that is as grand as it is playful
-
First look: Honolulu's Victoria Place blends cosmopolitan living with Hawaii life and natureVictoria Place is a new residential tower at Honolulu's Ward Village; take a first look at its interiors
-
A look inside the home of George Homsey, one of the fathers of pioneering California modernist community Sea RanchGeorge Homsey's home opens for the first time since his death, in 2019; see where the architect behind some of the designs for Sea Ranch, the pioneering California modernist community, lived
-
Step inside a Brooklyn Brownstone that bridges old and new'Brooklyn Brownstone' has been refreshed by Jon Powell Architects (JPA) and the result is a contemporary design rooted in modern elegance
