Five Innovative Arizona Homes Designed to Beat the Heat
Since Frank Lloyd Wright founded Taliesin West in 1937, Arizona's climate has influenced architects. A recent article showcases five homes that exemplify desert modernism. Near Phoenix, architect Darren Petrucci crafted a residence featuring a 'long, bent bar' design, utilizing concrete block and stucco to highlight views of Camelback Mountain. In Phoenix, Benjamin Hall revamped a 1970s house into a multi-generational space, adding a minimalist 1,700 sq ft extension. Outside Tucson, scenic designer Scott Pask updated a 1960s home by Jerry Thayer, improving both interiors and landscaping for better wildfire resilience. Wendell Burnette Architects designed a residence in Cave Creek topped with a stainless-steel canopy. The Ray Phoenix complex, created by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos, boasts over 400 apartments designed by Johnston Marklee.
Key facts
- Frank Lloyd Wright established Taliesin West in Arizona in 1937.
- Darren Petrucci's A-I-R firm designed a house outside Phoenix with a 'long, bent bar' form.
- The Phoenix house uses concrete block and stucco, with pale exterior and dark interiors.
- Benjamin Hall expanded a 1970s suburban home in Phoenix using concrete masonry units.
- Scott Pask renovated a 1960s brick home outside Tucson, originally designed by Jerry Thayer.
- Pask's landscape includes cacti, prickly pear, yucca, and agave for wildfire resilience.
- Wendell Burnette Architects designed a home in Cave Creek with a stainless-steel canopy.
- Ray Phoenix, developed by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos, has over 400 apartments designed by Johnston Marklee.
Entities
Artists
- Darren Petrucci
- Benjamin Hall
- Scott Pask
- Graydon Yearick
- Jerry Thayer
- Wendell Burnette
- Dasha Zhukova Niarchos
- Frank Lloyd Wright
Institutions
- A-I-R
- Wendell Burnette Architects
- Johnston Marklee
- Parts and Labor Design
- Ray
- Taliesin West
Locations
- Arizona
- Phoenix
- Camelback Mountain
- Scottsdale
- Tucson
- Cave Creek
- Continental Mountain