Located on Albuquerque’s
West Mesa, the residence takes advantage of the topographical features
particular to its location. By opening to the east, the Rio Grande foregrounds
the city and the Sandia Mountains beyond. This siting allows the house
to turn its back to the western desert sun, dust and wind.
Designed in a three-level split configuration, the house progresses vertically
from the garage to the main living spaces and to the master suite. Visitors
enter by way of a grand exterior stair announced by terraced planters
and an overhead bridge. A sheltered court receives the visitors, orienting
them to the entrance.
The entry is positioned on the main living level. Entering into the hub
of activity, the kitchen is central in the open layout, and separates
public and semi-private spaces in this level. The living room commands
expansive views to the east as the recessed aperture filters the morning
light and animates the space throughout the day. A cast-in-place concrete
fireplace is the home’s anchoring element. Visually separate from
the rest of the home in color and mass, the fireplace functions as a social
axis; it is also the structure that supports the north end of the bridge/terrace,
linking function and formalistic elements that anchor the home to the
site.
Bi-level terraces, oriented to these views, extend the livable space of
the living room and master bedroom. The terraces, featuring descending
bleachers, mask the adjacent development and provide flexible spaces for
entertainment. The semi-public areas to the west of the kitchen include
a large study and a guest suite. The lower level provides spaces for the
owners’ gardening interest and other leisure time activities. A
potting room allows the owner exterior access through the garage. The
vertical progression of the home continues to control levels of privacy
as one ascends from the living space to the master suite. The birch cabinetwork
throughout the home defines spaces and controls privacy while accommodating
the owners’ functional requirements.
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