5 Pristine Arizona homes that beat the heat

Arizona, with its majestic landscapes, staggering biodiversity and arid climate, has long spurred the architectural imagination. Most famously, the Grand Canyon State was the longtime muse of Frank Lloyd Wright, who first travelled there in the 1920s before setting up Taliesin West, the desert outpost of his Wisconsin home and school, in 1937. ‘The saguaro is the greatest example of a skyscraper that was ever built,’ the architect insisted.

Nearly a century after Wright’s first visit, Arizona continues to inspire architects, eager to create light-on-the-land buildings that tame the region’s harsh conditions while framing the dramatic topography. It’s little wonder that the state became a proving ground for desert modernism. Residential architecture is where these principles especially shine – and luckily, we’ve been privileged to publish some of the most innovative Arizona homes. From a retreat made from humble concrete block to a stainless-steel-clad residence that reflects the cactus-studded terrain, these five innovative Arizona houses beat the heat and stir the soul.

An ‘elegantly austere’ oasis outside Phoenix

Architect Darren Petrucci, principal of the Scottsdale-based firm A-I-R likes to design residential projects around a single, big gesture. In the case of this Arizona house outside of Phoenix, that form was a ‘long, bent bar.’ That massing enables the home, constructed from concrete block and stucco, to perch on a ridge on the site to take advantage of dramatic views to Camelback Mountain in the distance. The exterior is pale, to allow the intense sun to reflect back. But Petrucci and his team kept the interiors dark, to minimise reflections and keep the rooms cool. 'The analogy I typically give a client is a football player putting black under his eyes to reduce glare,’ the architect said. A series of austere indoor/outdoor spaces – including a pristine swimming pool – further prove that life in this home is quite literally made in the shade.

A concrete-block build for a multi-generational family

To look at this sleek Phoenix, Arizona house, you’d never guess that it began its life as an ordinary 1970s suburban home. But local architect Benjamin Hall cleverly expanded and reconfigured the structure to house a multi-generational dwelling using a surprising material: concrete masonry units. What resulted was a minimalist 1,700 sq ft addition, that is as cost-effective as it is insulated from the harsh Arizona climate. 'We had been looking to downsize, but never found what we wanted,' the client told us. 'So we did it by building.'

A scene-stealing retreat overlooking Tucson

Scenic designer Scott Pask has designed sets for blockbuster plays like the Book of Mormon – so it’s no surprise that his Arizona desert home, located outside Tucson, brings the drama. He found the brick modernist residence, designed by architect Jerry Thayer in the 1960s, in 2013, and enlisted architect Graydon Yearick to modernise it. The improvements included lightening the interior, incorporating more windows and ripping up retro carpet. Pask also spent three years upgrading the landscape to be in keeping with the client and to be more resilient in the event of a wildfire. He planted cacti, prickly pear, yucca and agave – plants that perfectly melt into the views of the mountain foothills beyond.

A saguaro-studded escape in Cave Creek

Cave Creek, Arizona, located outside of Phoenix, is filled with Old West lore, including the discovery of gold there in the 1870s. The owners of this dramatic home also struck gold, thanks to Phoenix-based firm Wendell Burnette Architects. The house is all planes and plinths, moves that allowed the architects to conceal mechanicals and create ample indoor/outdoor space. The overhanging canopy is clad in stainless steel, a material that reflects the saguaro-dotted desert landscape and views of Continental Mountain.

An midcentury modern-inspired apartment complex in Phoenix

This residential complex in Phoenix, designed by US400 firm Johnston Marklee, isn't technically a house, but it still exemplifies design principals that are uniquely Arizonan. Developed by Ray, the residential real estate company founded by Dasha Zhukova Niarchos, the building has more than 400 apartments. The modernist-inspired tower exterior is made of eye-catching green glass and metal, a move that at once evokes cacti and makes the building a banner in the cityscape. New York-based firm Parts and Labor Design took care of the interiors, which maintain the same mid-century vibes with a decidedly desert-y palette of terra-cotta hues, timber furnishings and plaster finishes. 'There’s a unique energy here shaped by the desert,’ Zhukova Niarchos told us.