This 10-acre stretch of desert contains two desert scours. A modern and ancient architecture, where walls contain space and space contains walls. Space becomes thin and form becomes condensed space. Huge walls carved into the earth. Seen from above, serpentine and calligraphic forms blur the boundaries between inside and outside, courtyards and rooms, containers and containment.
There are wonderful views of the nearby desert and the mountains in the distance. The walls are repeatedly deliberately introduced, compressed and then elongated as the space or view demands. 3 "Veracruz Mexican sees cut limestone, in and out of living Spaces, blurring boundaries... The lightweight fabric hangs delicately between the large walls.
Walls contain space, life, courtyards, water, trees, laughter, thoughts and shadows. The stone stacks are inspired by memories of beautiful Japanese bamboo cutting boards, whose even, subtle but irregular offsets..... And abstract painter Agnes Martin.... The work repeats with subtle differences to create a complex box of depth and surface. The effect is like a mother-of-pearl box, produced by sparkling variations and the way it is placed, with both regular and deliberate variations. Repetition Differente by Roland Barthes.
Slowly, a pattern emerges, shifts, unfolds, repeats but does not repeat, stretches there, stretches here, compresses there. Subtle changes in color, texture, and line create a rich experience for everyday life. The cut of exposed stone, the splash of water, the capture of light... The wall removes the weak and unwanted and allows what is alive and vibrant to flourish in peace. This is a modern, timeless ruin in the Sonoran Desert, where the body inside is soft and the desert outside has sparkling landscapes and light.
- Architect: Masastudio
- Interiors: Masastudio
- Photos: Matt Winquist
- Words: Xran