Desert Architecture Series #15 | Craig Wickersham | Scottsdale, Arizona

The first thing I say that attracts people to all deserts is there's a certain sculptural quality about the landscape. There's a definite element of high contrast between the geometry of a place and the saguaros and cacti. So it's a really a beautiful place and that's part of it. And the weather, you just can't beat it. You don't have to shovel sunshine. I mean, it's awesome. Well, the High Sonoran Desert is unique in that it has a more varied plant variety with the saguaros, ocotillos, the ironwood trees, the palo verdes, and it has some height, which is different from a lot of desert that is a low desert. Basically, Pinnacle Peak is the major landmark for this particular subdivision, which is Estancia. Kind of serves as the anchor for the development. You know, there's quite a few different mountain ranges in the area that you get views of also. We're on the side of the mountain right near the top of the ridge, so there's no one behind us. And the mountain is protected by law, no development, no trails or nothing behind us. So it's pristine. It's perfect. What they asked for was a desert-friendly contemporary home. And we attempt to do that through color, form, geometry, and material. So I put the approach at the back of the house so that you see the house before you get to the first part of your arrival experience. Now, if you come back to the entryway and you go left, you'll come into the main core of the house, which is the great room, dining room, kitchen, bar, which opens up with bifolding windows onto the patio. You look right, you see across the dining room table up the mountain, you know, rich colors, natural colors that blend with the mountainside. The intention, of course, is to get people right back to the desert, get them really connected to the real beauty of what we have here in Scottsdale. The importance of natural light is coupled with balanced light. So in a house with deep recessed outdoor spaces, you'll notice in this house we have another clear story that's closer in and less protected. It lets light into the space. So the intention is to balance light from both sides, both east and west in this case, is intended to create less glare. It's great comfort. And you can walk through this house without the lights on. It's very comfortable. If you look at the detailing of this house, there's a lot of articulated components. Their articulation is something that brings a sense of coziness to it. Of course, a lot of lighting in here for artwork. The owners have an extensive art collection. And of course, with all of the additional woodworking and materials used in the house, you get this sense of warmth. I studied at Frank Lloyd Wright School and was brought in by Mrs. Wright as a young person. And one of the important components of architectural design from Mr. Wright's point of view was scale. And in a big room like we're in here right now, you want a higher ceiling. You want the sound to change in this large space. As we get into a smaller room, you want to bring those ceilings down. You want to create intimacy. And I designed four different kitchens. Very complete designed kitchens with four different sets of material choices. Did very detailed color renderings of all of the work. And that's how we determine the exact right feel for this client. So there's a lot of pre-planning that goes into a house like this. And when you do spend the time up front, you get an absolutely spectacular end product. The client is a cook and the husband is a cook. So they're both very, very attentive to the details required for that. And you'll see that in the design of the kitchen and the actual implements that are in the kitchen. At the end of the hall, Craig created a perfect recess. And the owner had a specific piece of artwork that is located in that recess. Then as you move left, you enter the master bedroom. To the left, you've got a great custom designed fireplace with a lot of copper elements in it. And you're looking out across the spa, of course, to the views of the city. And then you make your way around to the right side, which takes you around to the master bathroom and closet area. The intention is that it can be walked through without having to have lights on. Naturally, there's a makeup area that requires detailing and light work for makeup and other things like that. But it's just a really good idea to have natural light in there. So there's a sense of privacy, a sense of view, and a sense of place. And it's a very special, very serene space. They really love it. So we walk in the front door and turn right. It's a split level. When we do a home like this, we put the master on one side and their guests on the other. And that's a common practice. People go to bed at different times. So their 20-something children stay up really late. There's a theater, there's a bar, there's all these things. They can go to bed. They're separated. There's no sound issues. And that's a big part of living with that type of family, where you have older kids. It's a very complex theater for a very demanding range of venues, from actual full theater productions to just general television shows. So it's just really a fun place. And don't forget the karaoke machine. It's got a karaoke machine. It's got big video Nintendo and Gamebox. Absolutely. It's got it all. It's got some fun stuff in there. We do truly work as a team. And I know that term is used a lot, but we truly do have a team. He designs for a builder also, like myself. So the subcontractors absolutely love building office plans. They make sense. They're buildable, which we find a lot of architects have a tough time with. What I like about Glenn is I will draw a very detailed idea with a client, and he knows how to not only get it done, but then in his trades, who he works with, will say, Craig, what if we did this? People pick up on that on a subliminal level, that there's a real buy-in. We really care about these people, and they get absolutely wonderful results.