Desert abode

Year Started:

2017

Location:

Palm Springs, California

SQ FT:

3,550

Story:

This retreat was designed for a rural desert lot outside the city and took advantage of the expansive desert views. Rammed earth walls and Corten steel were the primary materials in the palette. Sand and gravel from the site were specified to be mixed in the concrete for the rammed earth wall so the texture and colors of the architecture would feel at home with the surrounding desert environment.  

Weathered Corten steel with red and orange tones worked nicely with the warm tones in the desert. A reflecting pool aligned with the prevailing desert winds was designed to help cool the home during the hot summer.

The desert is one of my favorite landscapes and I have been fascinated with the California desert since I first saw it. I have spent significant time in the California desert and find a deep appreciation and kinship with it. Growing up in a similar harsh environment of central Texas, the expansiveness of the landscape, the unforgiving climate, and the harshness were familiar and comforting to me.

The Palm Springs area is also rich in architectural history. Mid-century modern architecture flourished in the desert, generating some of the most iconic houses in the world. We were pleased to be able to make a small offering to this history.