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Sterling Ridge

Scottsdale, AZ
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Sterling Ridge is a private residence the Sonoran Desert of Scottsdale, Arizona, designed to mediate between the high desert landscape and the desire to continue the architectural language of Modernism.

Design

The 11,760 square foot home is an assembly of buildings with a series of intimate spaces, layered against the landscape. The sustainable design of Sterling Ridge takes advantage of materials and systems that complement the extraordinary character of the terrain and the desert climate. The rugged terrain of the 2.75-acre site, which is environmentally protected, also demanded a design solution formed from a sensitive and respectful interaction with the topography and vegetation of the land. 

Built against the backdrop of the mountainous Sonoran Desert, this multilevel house responds to its context with spaces gracefully stepping around natural washes, boulder formations and centuries old Saguaro cacti. To match the desert, concrete walls blend in with the earth; steel beams reflect the accent colors of the vibrant desert vegetation. And yet, the bold, soaring cantilevered roofs and balconies, and expansive transparent walls make this a dwelling that at once protects and counteracts the wild nature that it holds at bay, liberating the boundaries between the built form and the extreme environment.

The home’s transparency, antithetic to the desert’s extreme heat and light, is achieved through technical innovation and the large overhangs. Cantilevered photovoltaics shade the desert sun while creating electricity to power the home. Laminated glass, combined with a Mylar film layer, blocks 99% of ultraviolet transmission into the home, controlling the extreme desert heat. 

The home’s pool is both an echo of the desert’s contours and a contrast to the structure’s geometry. Functionally, the negative edge pool utilizes the natural evaporation and breezes of the desert to cool the water as it leaves the pool. This cooling transfers over through the home’s cooling system, helping regulate temperature across seasons.

The 11,760 square foot home is an assembly of buildings with a series of intimate spaces, layered against the landscape. The sustainable design of Sterling Ridge takes advantage of materials and systems that complement the extraordinary character of the terrain and the desert climate. The rugged terrain of the 2.75-acre site, which is environmentally protected, also demanded a design solution formed from a sensitive and respectful interaction with the topography and vegetation of the land. 

Built against the backdrop of the mountainous Sonoran Desert, this multilevel house responds to its context with spaces gracefully stepping around natural washes, boulder formations and centuries old Saguaro cacti. To match the desert, concrete walls blend in with the earth; steel beams reflect the accent colors of the vibrant desert vegetation. And yet, the bold, soaring cantilevered roofs and balconies, and expansive transparent walls make this a dwelling that at once protects and counteracts the wild nature that it holds at bay, liberating the boundaries between the built form and the extreme environment.

The home’s transparency, antithetic to the desert’s extreme heat and light, is achieved through technical innovation and the large overhangs. Cantilevered photovoltaics shade the desert sun while creating electricity to power the home. Laminated glass, combined with a Mylar film layer, blocks 99% of ultraviolet transmission into the home, controlling the extreme desert heat. 

The home’s pool is both an echo of the desert’s contours and a contrast to the structure’s geometry. Functionally, the negative edge pool utilizes the natural evaporation and breezes of the desert to cool the water as it leaves the pool. This cooling transfers over through the home’s cooling system, helping regulate temperature across seasons.

Residences

Completed: 2003

person name goes here

Maintenance Supervisor

Glencoe, IL





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