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Morning Sky House and Stable
Morning Sky House and Stable
Cottonwood, AZ, United States
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Other Projects by MDSzerbaty Associates Architecture LLC
Morning Sky House and Stable
Cottonwood, AZ, United States
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2015
SIZE
1000 sqft - 3000 sqft
BUDGET
$1M - 5M
The “big sky” of the desert Southwest gives sunlight a unique crispness and clarity, rendering
amazing colors and shadows on the rocks and vegetation that shape the topography. It is this landscape that attracted the architect and his wife several years ago to the Verde Valley, just south of Sedona.
North of Phoenix in the foothills of Mingus Mountain, the steeply sloping site has expansive views of the Sedona Red Rock Country and San Francisco Peaks over 50 miles away. The slope orientation works with the spectacular panorama to the north, setting up a strategy of planning the project as a series of separate elements rising and falling with the topography, connected by terraces.
The house is nestled into the land at the high end of the 2.6-acre site. Its main entry is arrived at through a series of terraces and steps carved into the hill, constantly re-orienting you to present varying views. The 2,800-sf house is on two levels. An open plan characterizes the main house’s upper level, containing living, dining and kitchen areas. A more solid volume of playful forms defines the master bedroom suite. The transparent upper level affords views not only to the valley below, but also to the mountain behind it, the backdrop for the site.
The lower floor is cut into the land with windows facing north. A sky-lit open stair connects to this level, which includes a study, guest bedroom, laundry, mechanical and storage spaces.
The horse stable and guest house are similarly carved into the slope, with a 750-sf studio floating on piers over the landscape and horse stable. It has an open kitchen with dining counter, living area, bedroom and bathroom.
Both post-and-beam structures incorporate earth-tone colors with mahogany windows with low-e glass, cherry wood and bluestone flooring, and weathering steel panels. Large glass surfaces provide transparency, connecting inside to outside with views focused in each direction. Solar angle studies were done to inform overhang dimensions, maximizing winter sun and summer shade. The construction of the well-insulated solid walls and roof, and location of fixed and operable window are part of a passive solar design that permits abundant natural light and ventilation throughout the houses. The construction efforts were carefully planned to preserve the existing topography and vegetation to the greatest extent possible.
The design of the house takes cues from the study of American Indian ruins found throughout the desert Southwest. Carved into the natural landscape, structures were molded with available natural materials. Orientation considered command of the site and respect for the power of the sun. The intersecting geometries of the structures result in dynamic webs of woven grids, interpreted in the plan of Morning Sky.
amazing colors and shadows on the rocks and vegetation that shape the topography. It is this landscape that attracted the architect and his wife several years ago to the Verde Valley, just south of Sedona.
North of Phoenix in the foothills of Mingus Mountain, the steeply sloping site has expansive views of the Sedona Red Rock Country and San Francisco Peaks over 50 miles away. The slope orientation works with the spectacular panorama to the north, setting up a strategy of planning the project as a series of separate elements rising and falling with the topography, connected by terraces.
The house is nestled into the land at the high end of the 2.6-acre site. Its main entry is arrived at through a series of terraces and steps carved into the hill, constantly re-orienting you to present varying views. The 2,800-sf house is on two levels. An open plan characterizes the main house’s upper level, containing living, dining and kitchen areas. A more solid volume of playful forms defines the master bedroom suite. The transparent upper level affords views not only to the valley below, but also to the mountain behind it, the backdrop for the site.
The lower floor is cut into the land with windows facing north. A sky-lit open stair connects to this level, which includes a study, guest bedroom, laundry, mechanical and storage spaces.
The horse stable and guest house are similarly carved into the slope, with a 750-sf studio floating on piers over the landscape and horse stable. It has an open kitchen with dining counter, living area, bedroom and bathroom.
Both post-and-beam structures incorporate earth-tone colors with mahogany windows with low-e glass, cherry wood and bluestone flooring, and weathering steel panels. Large glass surfaces provide transparency, connecting inside to outside with views focused in each direction. Solar angle studies were done to inform overhang dimensions, maximizing winter sun and summer shade. The construction of the well-insulated solid walls and roof, and location of fixed and operable window are part of a passive solar design that permits abundant natural light and ventilation throughout the houses. The construction efforts were carefully planned to preserve the existing topography and vegetation to the greatest extent possible.
The design of the house takes cues from the study of American Indian ruins found throughout the desert Southwest. Carved into the natural landscape, structures were molded with available natural materials. Orientation considered command of the site and respect for the power of the sun. The intersecting geometries of the structures result in dynamic webs of woven grids, interpreted in the plan of Morning Sky.
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