Far from being dull and lifeless,
the arid landscapes of the American southwest offer the richest color palettes
in the country. Umber, ocher, copper,
silver, gray and gold are ancient colors offered by the earth. Purples are
found in deep shadows and bursting sunsets, while blues appear in the endless
skies and vibrant turquoise stones.
Pueblo homes have been around for
thousands of years. They were built by indigenous people out of adobe, a
material made of packed earth, clay, straw, sticks, and stone. Basket loads of
adobe was plastered on walls and dried in the sun. The resulting thick walls
provide superior insulation. Adobe an
inexpensive insulator is used in modern architecture as a passive solar
collector. The sun's heat travels through the adobe slow enough to reach the
interior as night falls, heating the house through the night.
In order to preserve the surroundings
and native flora we maintained minimum site disturbance. The terrace is designed
to maximize view and minimize heat gain. There are energy efficient low-e
windows and use of sustainable materials throughout.
