Marfa house at one with its site
A structure at one with the wild, arid simplicity of the Texas desert, this Marfa house is the work of two architects, Berkeley-based Rael San Fratello and Tucson-based Dust. Minimalist architecture, almost spartan looks, and materials that feel entirely of their place define this home that is the perfect bolthole for secluded relaxation – a bolthole you can buy, since the boutique abode has just hit the market.
The small desert city of Marfa in far West Texas is known for its art scene, nature, and stargazing opportunities. Here, the flat, dry expanses are rivalled in beauty only by the night sky, and this little – in scale perhaps, but not in scope or architectural ambition – home offers views of both, situated as it is in a large, secluded plot at the edge of town. Access to lots of exterior space, in the shape of an enclosed garden of native plants, several courtyards and large windows that frame the surrounding environment, provides constant connection between indoors and outdoors, the architecture and its place.
Marfa house at one with its site
Comprising two distinct structures, the home contains a chef’s kitchen, a large living space, a private sculpture garden, and a guest bedroom and bathroom in the first volume; meanwhile the master bedroom suite, with its own study and lounge and the master bath, are in the second. Sandy-coloured adobe brick walls come together with metal elements for an aesthetic that combines earthiness and a minimalist, utilitarian feel. At the same time, tactile yet clean, flat surfaces throughout offer an ideal gallery opportunity to display art.
Solar panels on this Marfa house make the most of the Texas sun in this home that pays homage to the landscape around it at every turn. This, combined with the rest of its architectural features, makes it a modern classic (one half of its architecture team, Dust was also part of the Wallpaper* Architects Directory in 2015), full of long vistas, natural materials, feature gardens and architectural moments, such as the outdoor shower next to the master bedroom, and the enticing study with its strategically placed window out towards the views.
INFORMATION
More about the Marfa house here
-
Designer Alex Proba teams up with Hoka for a delightfully colourful shoe collabThis maximalist footwear capsule is designed to get dirty
-
Photographer Mohamed Bourouissa reflects on society, community and marginalised communities at MASTMohamed Bourouissa unites his work from the last two decades at Bologna’s Fondazione MAST
-
Behind a carefully composed geometric brick façade, a New Delhi residence rises highAKDA’s design for this New Delhi residence explores new geometries and high densities
-
Tour this fire-resilient minimalist weekend retreat in CaliforniaA minimalist weekend retreat was designed as a counterpoint to a San Francisco pied-à-terre; Edmonds + Lee Architects’ Amnesia House in Napa Valley is a place for making memories
-
A New Zealand house on a rugged beach exemplifies architect Tom Kundig's approach in rich, yet understated luxuryThis coastal home, featured in 'Tom Kundig: Complete Houses', a new book launch in the autumn by Monacelli Press, is a perfect example of its author's approach to understated luxury. We spoke to Tom Kundig, the architect behind it
-
Tour architect Paul Schweikher’s house, a Chicago midcentury masterpieceNow hidden in the Chicago suburbs, architect Paul Schweikher's former home and studio is an understated midcentury masterpiece; we explore it, revisiting a story from the Wallpaper* archives, first published in April 2009
-
The world of Bart Prince, where architecture is born from the inside outFor the Albuquerque architect Bart Prince, function trumps form, and all building starts from the inside out; we revisit a profile from the Wallpaper* archive, first published in April 2009
-
Is embracing nature the key to a more fire-resilient Los Angeles? These landscape architects think soFor some, an executive order issued by California governor Gavin Newsom does little to address the complexities of living within an urban-wildland interface
-
Hop on this Fire Island Pines tour, marking Pride Month and the start of the summerA Fire Island Pines tour through the work of architecture studio BOND is hosted by The American Institute of Architects New York in celebration of Pride Month; join the fun
-
A Laurel Canyon house shows off its midcentury architecture bonesWe step inside a refreshed modernist Laurel Canyon house, the family home of Annie Ritz and Daniel Rabin of And And And Studio
-
A refreshed Rockefeller Wing reopens with a bang at The Met in New YorkThe Met's Michael C Rockefeller Wing gets a refresh by Kulapat Yantrasast's WHY Architecture, bringing light, air and impact to the galleries devoted to arts from Africa, Oceania and the Ancient Americas
