wendell burnette architects' arizona desert house expands between a plinth and a canopy

described as a ‘long pavilion for living’, the hidden valley desert house by wendell burnette architects is composed of a canopy hovering above a plinth in arizona, US. the residence is designed according to the owners’ very specific way of living, both as a means to simplify their life, and as an indoor/outdoor space that can house their two birds and cat. with great views over the phoenix valley and the surrounding mountains, the south-facing house emerges from a cactus-studded hill, on a ground-based plinth, which roughly follows the east to west contours of the site. a large shade canopy hovers above the plinth, embodying the necessary sustenance for this shelter as a home.

all images by bill timmerman

the arizona-based practice has kept a 1:2 ratio between outdoor and indoor programmed areas, where all activity occurs upon the plinth and under the canopy as one continuous space. supported by a dispersed core of mass forms that minimize glass to wall percentage while framing focused views for a range of indoor/outdoor programs, the thickened canopy harvests the majority of the energy and water needed for this close to net zero house. the west end/lower level of the plinth is inhabited as a thick cave, while the main level/top of the plinth is open in all directions and, at times, has no discernible distinctions between inside and outside.

the residence’s materiality allows it to blend within its surroundings without losing its distinct character. the plinth is made of a hybrid economic construction that combines stepped local concrete masonry walls with an integrally colored concrete slab rendered monolithic with a verati-like plaster. on the upper part of the canopy, a deep mill finish stainless steel fascia mirrors the landscape and sky while screening the photovoltaic solar panels beyond. a black theatrical fabric creates a continuous feeling of soft shade on the canopy’s inside and outside areas, and subtly screens the conventional gang-nail wood truss roof structure and insulation above. the central and dispersed cores are finished with similar ‘shadow reflective materials’ of cold-rolled mill finish steel, ebonized sustainable MDF (medite), three different dark finishes of highly sustainable resin-infused paper (richlite), as well as an integral color purple-black wabi-sabi stucco with vermiculite. 

project info:

name: hidden valley desert house

client: kim and keith meredith

project size: 2,500 gsf (conditioned)+1,250 sf (shaded outdoor space)+625 sf (garage/storage)

project location: cave creek, arizona, USA

project team: wendell burnette (principal-in-charge-of-design), qianyi ye (project lead collaborator),
austin nikkel, rebecca gillogly

consultants: rudow + berry, inc. (structural engineer); otterbein engineering (mechanical / plumbing engineer); woodward engineering (electrical engineer); creative design in lighting (lighting design); sse (civil engineer); wendell burnette architects (interior design)

general contractor: verge design build – joby dutton, mike alexander