This custom home was designed for retired professionals in a topranked
private golf community in Oro Valley, Arizona. In plan the home is
organized around a single, simple Great Room that is flanked on either side by
an impressive stone fireplace and an open Kitchen. This central entertaining
area separates two full Guest Suites from the Master Suite and includes an
artist’s loft above with views out continuous clerestory windows. The Great
Room is enclosed by walls of glass on four sides opening it to stunning views
and flooding it with daylight.
Deeply cantilevered horizontal roof planes protect against the desert
sun and provide a lattice structure for a translucent photovoltaic ramada.
Extensive roof cover creates generous outdoor living spaces that extend
seamlessly from the interior. Portions of the residence itself are cantilevered
to minimize site disturbance and a suspended entry walkway bridges the
natural topography in a show of respect for the desert environment.
The final design was approved through iterative design, comprehensive
research, and extensive collaboration. This design maximizes the efficiency
not only of energy use, but also spatially. Identifying the unique properties
of this lot, situated between the community golf course and a main roadway,
the high rising rock hill to the north and slight rise to the south provided
just enough natural barrier to make the home feel nested and private, while
still accessible and connected to the rest of the neighborhood. The large
Great Room was the heart of the home, linking the otherwise separate Master
Bedroom and Guest Suites.
The site is characterized by steep hills, boulders and the lush riparian
landscape of the Sonoran Desert. The home is situated between large
rock outcroppings, which frame views across a stunning landscape
and beyond to the nearby Catalina Mountain Range. Capturing these
views and maximizing daylight was the driving force behind the design
concept.
The Subdivision Design Motto was "The design should be sensitive to and
compatible with the natural desert environment." The design addressed details that soften and enhance the architectural design, detail and relief of windows, entrances and doors, breaks in the roofline with elevation changes, shade structures, canopies and walks, people gathering/activity spaces, and attention to service spaces.
The material palette consists primarily of cut limestone paired with
large expanses of high performance glass. The rectilinear stone relates
to while contrasting with the boulder-strewn site. The walls of glass
provide a visual connection for the inhabitants and from the exterior
reflect the home’s rocky surroundings.
Masonry and steel were the main structural components. Masonry walls
serves as thermal masses that mimic traditional desert design to most
efficiently keep the heat out of interior spaces. Drought-resistant native
plants were chosen over high water consuming plants. Energy and water
efficient fixtures and appliances were selected throughout the home.
To maintain a constant visual connection to the desert environment,
low-E glass was used for all windows and doors. Many LEED guidelines
were followed, including the use of photovoltaic panels to offset energy
consumption from the grid.
Deeply cantilevered horizontal roof planes protect against the desert
sun and provide a lattice structure for a translucent photovoltaic
Ramada. Extensive roof cover creates generous outdoor living spaces
that extend seamlessly from the interior. Portions of the residence itself
are cantilevered to minimize site disturbance and a suspended entry
walkway bridges the natural topography in a show of respect for the
desert environment.
While many environmentally friendly and efficient practices were
applied, all materials, technologies, and fixtures can be found in the
existing marketplace.
To maintain a streamlined view and direct access from all rear
living spaces to the pool area, the need for a standard and visually
unappealing pool fence was eliminated by employing self-closing and
self-locking sliding doors to all rear exterior living spaces. The handle
system is above the required safety regulations for all pool safety codes.
Oro Valley
United States
Undisclosed
01/2014
430 sq. m
Robinette Architects, Inc.
Ron Robinette, Will Robinette
Velen Chan
Curriculum
This custom home was designed for retired professionals in a topranked
private golf community in Oro Valley, Arizona. In plan the home is
organized around a single, simple Great Room that is flanked on either side by
an impressive stone fireplace and an open Kitchen. This central entertaining
area separates two full Guest Suites from the Master Suite and includes an
artist’s loft above with views out continuous clerestory windows. The Great
Room is enclosed by walls of glass on four sides opening it to stunning views
and flooding it with daylight.