Atop a cantilevered perch on Camelback Mountain sits a home that feels wholly at one with its rugged setting. From afar, the house appears to rest lightly on a field of boulders, its angled copper roof like a canopy just above. But a different kind of magic happens inside. There, between those horizontal planes and bookended by vast expanses of glass, architect Darren Petrucci has created what he describes as a “lens” for enjoying the views.
With Mummy Mountain to the north, the Praying Monk to the west and hawks wheeling overhead, it’s little wonder that the owners were drawn to this site. They’d first contacted Petrucci about renovating the property’s existing 1961 abode, which had been added to over the years. After discovering that current zoning requirements would render that impossible, Petrucci and the clients resolved to start anew, using the pad of the original house as their jumping-off point for a design that would integrate with and embrace its surroundings. “Because of the orientation of the site, we had an incredible opportunity to have unbelievable views to the south and north and be able to see both views from the living and dining room equally,” Petrucci says.
Downsizing from a larger dwelling nearby, the couple was ready for something simple and uncomplicated. “My wife and I are minimalists,” the husband says. “We wanted a home on one level that we could appreciate as art all by itself.” Petrucci, who worked with architect Joe Pritchard, was happy to comply and conceived a volume that makes the most of the site. Not expanding beyond the original footprint eliminated the need for retaining walls. “That inspired me to create a kind of copper tent that shields the house from solar exposure to the east and west while opening and vaulting it toward the north and south,” Petrucci explains.
The couple was enthusiastic about the plan. “Darren really pushed the envelope of the design so you’re able to see through the entire home,” the husband says. “His understanding of spatial elements is very important. The rooms are intentionally sized, and the ceiling is perfect: It’s not too high—it doesn’t feel like you’re in a church—but it doesn’t feel low.”
From the masonry block walls that echo the boulders on-site, to the polished concrete floors, to the shou sugi ban wood ceilings, the materials used throughout anchor the house to its desert setting. Glass is another critical element. Whether clear or blackened, deployed in clerestory windows or in 30-foot-wide stretches, it serves to both frame and reflect the landscape. “For me, beauty is in the juxtaposition of things,” Petrucci notes. “Here, the precision of the glass against the imprecision of the block and the wood is what makes beauty. The idea was to bring materials together in a complementary way but also juxtaposed so there’s that tension of the precise against the natural.” Those rigorous details, including the column-free great room achieved via steel transfer beams that support the roof, were overseen by general contractor Rich Fairbourn and builder Mark Allen.
The couple furnished the interiors themselves, pairing vintage pieces like a midcentury dining table by Vladimir Kagan with contemporary custom furniture in the living area and primary bedroom. “The house is a blank canvas,” the husband notes. “The color comes from the rugs and art.”
Juxtapositions of a different kind come into play outside, where south- and north-facing patios extend the living spaces, and a pool nestles amid boulders near a large ironwood tree. Landscape designer Natalie Hakim emphasized desert-adaptive plantings that harmonize with the environment and inject lushness and color while complementing Petrucci’s hardscape design. “We wanted the owners to feel they were a part of the desert, but we didn’t want them to look out and not see anything green,” she says. “We made sure that they have something blooming throughout the year.”
No matter when they visit, the couple says they appreciate the quiet and serenity the home provides. “Whether you’re inside or not,” the husband says, “you feel like you’re part of the nature around you.”
