Client Brief:
The clients wanted a modern home that respected Southwestern traditions. They asked for courtyards that offered privacy and community, outdoor rooms suited to the desert climate, and materials that would weather well over time.
Location:
Weave is in a historic district in uptown Phoenix, on a site once used as a parking lot. The hot desert setting made shade, courtyards, and cross-ventilation essential to comfort.
Design Solution:
The house is organized as a U-shaped courtyard plan, drawing on Southwestern precedent but reinterpreted in modern form. Two courtyards shape daily life: a private court with a pool, shaded patios, and a steel fireplace, and a front court that acts as a semi-public threshold with desert planting and seating for neighbors.
Traditional elements like vigas and latillas are reimagined in contemporary ways. A woven wood ceiling made from lumber milled by the clients filters light at the entry. Custom steel planters and bancos define outdoor rooms. Inside, white oak cabinetry and honed marble anchor the kitchen, while a copper soaking tub in the primary suite pivots open to the outdoors.
Result:
Weave integrates modern architecture with the desert vernacular of the Southwest. The house turns courtyards into living spaces and uses crafted details to connect daily life with climate, history, and community.
