Fort 137 is a Las Vegas valley home designed with a cinematic experience in mind. Its author, the multi-disciplinary office of Daniel Joseph Chenin, took cues from the surrounding desert environment, all arid landscapes and panoramic views of Red Rock Canyon. The result? A contemporary home for immersive desert living.
Fort 137 by Daniel Joseph Chenin
Fort 137 was conceived as a private family retreat, and consists of a primary suite, a secondary suite, three additional bedrooms, and expansive communal living and dining spaces - some indoors, and some spilling out to the house's various terraces and open areas beyond. The aim was for a home that blends contemporary style and comfort with desert living and a connection to its context.
Ease and functionality were also high on the agenda. 'The client is from out of state, and we were selected for our ability to provide a complete turnkey project,' said Daniel Joseph Chenin, lead architect and founder of his namesake Las Vegas based studio. 'We provided all of the architecture and interior design, right down to the design, selection, procurement, and installation of the furniture, fixtures, and accessories.'
A 28 ft high rotunda marks the entrance into the residential compound. It 'serves as a transition between the external desert heat and the cooler interior,' the design team writes. Beyond it, minimalist spaces that draw on the colours of the surrounding natural environment prevail.
'In researching architecture that addresses the hot and arid climate of the southwest, it took us back to some of the settlement structures of the pioneers of the 1800s,' said Chenin. 'The idea of a stacked, rock structure, similar to forts designed by the settlers of the time, really resonated. [..] The project is robust and rough on the outside, and refined and detailed on the inside. But the lines are blurred by the singular vision of each element, including the mimicking of colours and textures that reflect the surrounding context of the Red Rock mountains.'
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThis week, the design year got underway with Paris’ interiors and furniture fair. Elsewhere, the Wallpaper* editors marked the start of 2026 with good food and better music
-
Structure meets scent in Clive Christian’s new London flagship by Harry NurievWhat does architecture smell like? The British perfume house’s Inox fragrance captures the essence of its new Bond Street store
-
A quartet of sleek new travel trailers accelerate the caravan’s cultural rehabilitationAirstream, Evotrex, AC Future and Honda put forward their visions for off-grid living and lightweight RV design
-
A rare Rudolph Schindler-designed rental just hit the market in Los AngelesThis incredible Silver Lake apartment, designed one of the most famous voices in California modernism, could be yours for $3,675 a month
-
The New Museum finally has an opening date for its OMA-designed expansionThe pioneering art museum is set to open 21 March 2026. Here's what to expect
-
This remarkable retreat with views of the Catskill Mountains was inspired by the silhouettes of oak leavesA New York City couple turned to Desai Chia Architecture to design them a thoughtful weekend home. What they didn't know is that they'd be starting a farm, too
-
Wallpaper* Best Use of Material 2026: a New Mexico home that makes use of the region's volcanic soilNew Mexico house Sombra de Santa Fe, designed by Dust Architects, intrigues with dark, geometric volumes making use of the region's volcanic soil – winning it a spot in our trio of Best Use of Material winners at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2026
-
More changes are coming to the White HouseFollowing the demolition of the East Wing and plans for a massive new ballroom, President Trump wants to create an ‘Upper West Wing’
-
A group of friends built this California coastal home, rooted in nature and modern designNestled in the Sea Ranch community, a new coastal home, The House of Four Ecologies, is designed to be shared between friends, with each room offering expansive, intricate vistas
-
Step inside this resilient, river-facing cabin for a life with ‘less stuff’A tough little cabin designed by architects Wittman Estes, with a big view of the Pacific Northwest's Wenatchee River, is the perfect cosy retreat
-
Remembering Robert A.M. Stern, an architect who discovered possibility in the pastIt's easy to dismiss the late architect as a traditionalist. But Stern was, in fact, a design rebel whose buildings were as distinctly grand and buttoned-up as his chalk-striped suits
