The Desert House is comprised of four interconnected pavilions, with roofs that gracefully mirror the contours of the Sonoran landscape. The sweeping roofs and cantilevers create striking shadows, imparting a sense of lightness to the structure and mitigating its visual mass. During the scorching summer months, the house is shielded from direct sunlight by the ‘low E’ windows in the living room, effectively deterring both ultraviolet rays and heat. However, in winter, strategically positioned soffits crafted from four-inch planks of mahogany redirect sunlight into the interior as the sun follows a lower trajectory.

The expansive glass panels, soaring to 19 feet in the living room and 15 feet in the master bedroom, are inclined at a 5-degree angle off the vertical. This outward pitch not only enhances the architectural aesthetics but also allows the eye to focus on the vast panoramas that unfold beyond.

Project Team: Aaron Neubert for Voorsanger & Associates

Publications: Unfolded, 2017, Builder News, January 2007, House Beautiful, February 2005, The New York Times, January 2004, Arhitext, October 2003, Desert Living, September/October 2002