The 6,000 square-foot residence lies at the foothills of the
Redrock Mountains within a master planned community in southwest Las Vegas. The
design departs from the traditional U-shaped desert courtyard home by dividing
the home into two components linked through a common elevated breezeway. Each
component works as an individual home and/or in conjunction for extended family
living. The design incorporates the existing contours, stepping along the lines
to form an upper public level and lower private level. Using the idea of
stratification present in the adjacent Redrock Mountains, the materials
emphasis are horizontally within the massing, which relates to the stepping of
the form over the contours. This form reinforces the distant views to the Las
Vegas Strip. The view is initially screened from view as you enter the
residence, shielded by the entry bridge. Once across the bridge you encounter
the elevated breezeway which serves as the exterior living room for the
component homes. Here the view to the strip is exposed, acting as the “front
door” for the two component houses. The split of the home into two parts,
occurs to create a main house – living, master suite and guest room, and a
guest house - living, theatre and guest bedrooms.