The Catalina Foothills 601

Located in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, this residence provides exceptional views of the Tucson valley below. The steep sloped site and a natural wash bisecting the middle of the site hindered the already limited level buildable area. It was an early concept to form a bridge of the residence, spanning the wash and cantilevering over the sloped site.

The architecture uses simple geometric shapes to define the spaces. The entry is a forced perspective through the transparent house. The walls are exposed center masonry with raked horizontal joints to compliment the horizontal lines of the roof overhangs. The structural steel forms the finished lines of the lower roofs. The central living space is connected by the spine of the wedge-shaped upper roof. The lower levels open to a stepping fountain and path that connect to the desert below.