There’s a reason why snowbirds flock to Phoenix: For seven months out of the year, it has what most would call an ideal climate. But for those other five months, it is a different story: With average highs ranging from 95 to 106 degrees, most people run indoors in May and stay inside as much as possible through September. That’s why in the House on Marion, Lightvox Studio used a little local know-how and a lot of strategy to create outdoor spaces that can be used year-round.
The architects’ first move on the tricky wedge-shaped site was to line the perimeter with a wall that provides safety and sound protection from a busy thoroughfare, as well as creates a new horizon line to capitalize on views east to Camelback Mountain. “We used the courtyard typology to find serenity on the site,” says Lightvox principal Karin Santiago.
Inside the walls, a bar-shaped, single-story house runs north–south on the site. To its west side, a landscaped entry court features native plantings and serves as seating for a quiet retreat. To the east, a planting-lined terrace connects via a sliding glass wall to the kitchen, living, and dining areas inside, which increases the usable space for much of the year. Next to the terrace is a pool area that runs parallel to the house and past the master suite.
“The inside–outside relationship wasn’t just about one specific space,” Santiago says, “but, rather, about letting the house do more with the space it has around it.” Plantings in the drought-parched climate were carefully considered, and wherever possible, existing specimens were kept in place and protected during the construction process.
Lightvox also studied the solar angles to maximize shading in all spaces. The entry court is shaded by the volume of the house in the mornings, and its lush vegetation and sculptural qualities make it a cozy space, Santiago says. Similarly, the terrace and pool to the east are shaded in the afternoon—perfect for entertaining and yoga classes—making the House on Marion a truly flexible retreat from the sprawl of the city.
Project: House on Marion, Phoenix
Architect/Interior Designer/Lighting Designer: Lightvox Studio, Phoenix
Contractor: Withheld
Structural Engineer: Brickey Design Associates, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Landscape Architect: Colwell Shelor Landscape Architects, Phoenix
Living Space: 2,300 square feet
Cost: Withheld
