Desert Destination

This home’s exterior facade includes a mix of many materials, including blue and mauve Ticonderoga stone, copper, stucco and rusted steel.

The plan of this 5,400-square-foot home seems to rise and fall with the terrain of the knoll.

Entry into the home is through a spiraling courtyard. Hidden from the desert sun and wind is a private space adorned with a garden and a waterfall.

For this 5,400-square-foot home sited on a peninsula-like knoll in the foothills near Scottsdale, Ariz., architect Ron Brissette’s goal was to capture 270-degree views by creating for each space a unique yet contiguous vista. Brissette, principal of Brissette Architects, accomplished this goal with an unusual plan that seems to rise and fall with the terrain.

The home’s exterior facade includes a mixture of blue and mauve Ticonderoga stone, copper, stucco and rusted steel. This material mixture mimics the varying shades and textures of the surrounding environment. Colors dominate or fade in the background as the sun moves through the sky, creating different visual effects throughout the day.

Entry into the home is through a spiraling courtyard. This private space, adorned with a garden and a waterfall, is perfect for entertaining as it is protected from the punishment of the desert climate’s sun and wind. The spiral shape organizes the plan of the house, giving rise to alternating pitched and flat roof modules, and setting a rhythm throughout the home. The unique mix of materials and the innovative floor plan make this home stand apart from the neighborhood’s more familiar boxy solutions or flat stucco parapets.