chen + suchart studio embed mummy mountain residence into a slope in arizona

chen + suchart studio embed mummy mountain residence into a slope in arizona
image © timmerman photography
all images courtesy of chen + suchart studio

perched atop a mountain in the sonoran desert of arizona, local practice chen + suchart studio has completed the ‘mummy mountain’ residence which commands the views over the valley and distant mcdowell mountain range. the functionality of the house in informed by a series of parallel shifting CMU walls that subdivide the site, directing the spaces towards the dropping landscape. the partitions, while remaining open at the ends also provide a certain level of privacy from the other axis, shielding the living spaces from the adjacent homes. small apertures in these walls offer calculated views of the immediate surroundings creating a dialogue with the near and distant landscapes but also dictate much of the interior circulation. metal stud walls clad in corten standing seam panels and similarly constructed cantilevering canopies infill the CMU walls helping to integrate the structure with the native red-tinged soil. the main level contains all the living spaces as well as the owner’s private quarters. due to their age they wanted to avoid having to scale stairs all day to get to their personal spaces. on the level below there are extra bedrooms that enjoy a certain separation from the rest of the house and therefore more privacy. large expanses of operable glass walls on both the mountain-side and valley-side of the house ensure that each interior space receives plenty of natural light and benefits from natural ventilation.

image © timmerman photography

entry made up of many of the materials utilized in the house – concrete, CMU, and metal
image © timmerman photography

living and dining rooms with open views over the valley
image © timmerman photography

kitchen
image © timmerman photography

view into the living room
image © timmerman photography

controlled openings in the CMU walls inform circulation and views of the immediate landscape.
image © timmerman photography

master bathroom
image © timmerman photography

image © timmerman photography

closet and sink
image © timmerman photography

lower bedroom with private patio
image © timmerman photography

upstairs hallway
image © timmerman photography

small openings on the side of the CMU walls
image © timmerman photography

front deck
image © chen + suchart studio

view above the home
image © chen + suchart studio

site perspective
image © chen + suchart studio

approach from the main street
image © timmerman photography

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

site view diagram

project info:

designers: chen + suchart studio, llc | szu-ping patricia chen suchart and thamarit suchart
location: paradise valley, arizona, usa
structural engineering: aed structural engineers, inc. – christopher j. sosnowski, p.e.
construction company: cuff custom homes – hugh cuff
construction area: 3,968 sf or 368.64 sqm
photography: bill timmerman of timmerman photography
graphics + drawings: chen + suchart studio, llc
major materials: cip concrete walls, polished concrete floors, sand-blasted standard grey 8-8-16 cmu, corten metal flat seam interlocked exterior wall cladding