Red Rocks

Client Brief: The clients wanted to transform their Spanish Colonial Revival house into something that responded to its dramatic setting on Camelback Mountain. The existing home blocked views with heavy columns, dark finishes, and a ceremonial entry that discouraged outdoor living. They asked for a design that would maximize mountain views and expand daily life into the landscape. Location: The property is perched on the slopes of Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, with direct exposure to the desert and panoramic valley views. The challenge was to unlock these views while respecting the steep site and existing footprint. Design Solution: We stripped away the heavy Colonial elements, reducing the structure to a simple stucco form. A cantilevered second-story suite was added, clad in vein-cut Veracruz limestone that recalls the calcite seams in Camelback’s red rock. From this room, a Juliet balcony nearly touches the mountain face. The interior was reorganized to open sightlines from the rear of the house to the valley. Over 2,000 square feet of shaded patios were added, extending the living areas outward. Folding steel and wood screens filter sun and provide privacy while allowing breezes to pass. At dusk, the screens retract to reveal the full expanse of mountain and sunset. Integrated planters bring desert planting up to the second floor, blending indoors with the surrounding slopes. Result: Red Rocks transforms a style-driven house into one shaped by site and use. The new design opens to the mountain, extends living outdoors, and brings daily life into direct contact with the desert. It reclaims the potential of the property, turning an obstructed home into one that works with its surroundings.