PIMA CANYON RESIDENCE

Design for the Baumgardner’s Residence in the Catalina Foothills of Tucson, Arizona was initiated in the spring of 2000. The architectural design process was preceded by several months of developing an architectural program defining all aspects of each interior and exterior space of the future residence. Included in this program were design criteria established by the developer of Pima Canyon Estates, the Baumgardners and myself. This and all phases of design and construction were done in close collaboration with my clients.

Pima Canyon Estates stated philosophy, “it is a subtle blending of people, residences, and the existing desert into a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing residential community which places primary emphasis upon the preservation of natural desert and riparian areas” was also a major goal of myself and the Baumgardners.  Great care was taken to preserve all of the natural desert, including that immediately adjacent to the residence, the guest house, their patios and driveways.

The two-bedroom residence and two-bedroom, two-bath guest house include 11,500 square feet under roof of which 7,500 square feet are enclosed, livable space.  The size of the residence and the desire to “blend” into the natural desert produced a design of several components as opposed to one uniform building mass.  “Blending” into the natural desert also encouraged the integration of exterior and interior spaces.  Access from the guest parking to the front door of the residence is via a 100-foot long compacted earth walkway through the natural desert. 

View from the southern neighbor to the residence and the Catalina Mountains beyond

Views to and from the site were a major factor in the arrangement and placement of interior and exterior spaces.  Dynamic views of the changing shadow, light and color of Pima Canyon in the Catalina Mountains was captured from many of the residential spaces, including the master bedroom, great room, kitchen, den and laundry.  Views at night of the Tucson city lights were provided from the master bedroom, great room, kitchen and guest bedroom as well as the sitting room and both guest house bedrooms.

Comfortable, inviting, warm, cozy, contemporary, informal, “lodge type”, were adjectives used by the Baumgardners to describe the character or “feeling” they desired.  The openness that allowed the integration of interior and exterior spaces and framed views, presented a challenge in achieving the character requested.  It was achieved, however, and achieved in part, with the use of exposed adobe for all interior and exterior walls; the use of rough sawn wood beams supported on large steel-tube trusses spanning diagonally through the pitched roof spaces; and the use of exposed wood decking spanning the wood beams.

Only one building material was dictated by the Baumgardners at the outset of design and that was adobe.  All walls, exterior and interior, were to be constructed of two feet thick adobe walls.  These walls were composed of two wythes of eight inch thick adobe on either side of an eight inch cavity.  A unique challenge was the successful use of the traditional adobe material in a contemporary way. Exposed concrete bond beams and window sills were incorporated into the adobe walls and large expanses of well protected window walls were used to contrast the more traditional adobe material with contemporary elements.

Soon after the design phase was initiated, the floor tile was selected.  Sandstone tile was used in all of the interior and exterior paved spaces and the dimensions of all those spaces were multiples of the full tile dimension, twenty-two and five-eighths inches.  Full tile were used throughout eliminating the need to cut tile and avoiding small segments of tile.

All mechanical, plumbing, electrical, communication and home automation system lines were placed in the wall cavities.  The HVAC system is a high-velocity system employing two-inch diameter air ducts with supply and return grilles hidden from view.

All HVAC equipment, pool equipment, boiler, emergency generator, central vacuum, misting system, landscape irrigation controls and home entertainment and automation system racks are located in the basement, out of view and buffered for sound.

The artwork and furnishings that the Baumgardners have placed in their residence have given greater strength to the overall character and “feeling” of the residence and have enhanced the architectural design.

PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY PHOTOGRAPHER STEVEN MECKLER 

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