Tucson Mountain Refuge / DUST Design Build
Architect: Design Build DUST
Project Architects: Jesus Robles, Dale Rush, Cade Hayes
Location: Tucson, Arizona, United States
Client: A family of 3 members
Construction Date: 2010
Internal area: 340 m2
Covered terraces: 90 m2
Pathways and open terraces: 110 m2
Terrace on building: 42 m2
Garage: 95 m2
The Tucson Mountain Sanctuary was designed around a series of environmental strategies. The first is the simple idea of preserving the largest land area as possible. The terrain is both a surprisingly lush landscape as arid. The earth emits a sense of strength and remains keeping the history and mysteries of the desert.
Besides an immense respect for the land, the house was located on the ground to minimize ground movement in the landscape as well as to minimize destruction of vegetation and microclimates within the field. The house is carefully situated between two rocks sticking up, one for the north and the south. Each attempt to salvage and replant vegetation in the field was wasted.
The design was heavily influenced by the most important element of the desert climate, the sun. The passive solar design strategies were incorporated in the Tucson Mountain Sanctuary since its inception. The solar heat gain is reduced simply to the orientation of the house, this is achieved with a linear design in an east and west, making the largest facade, north and south. The minimize the penetration of solar radiation in the east and west facades can also reduce heat gains.
The main living space and sleeping spaces open underneath overhangs to capture the sights of untouched countryside, but also respond to the sun. The deep overhangs provide shelter from the sun and in turn allow the low winter sun into the spaces between passively warm the living and sleeping areas. The south facing overhangs also act as a wind scoop to cool and capture the cool breezes from the south, allowing cross ventilation generate. Cross ventilation can be controlled flexibly by using the sliding glass doors in each area.
A system of collection of large-capacity water was incorporated into the design, allowing all the water from the roofs is stored and reused. On the other hand, prepared an electricity grid to allow the future connection of photovoltaic panels.
