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boulder house
LOCATION:
SIZE:
PROGRAM:
COMPLETION:
TYPES:
Prescott, AZ
4,800 ft²
Single Family House
2025
Residential
Responding to the unique, ancient geological formations surrounding nearby Watson Lake, the Boulder House is articulated through a series of interlocking, textured geometric volumes. The rough stucco surfaces, marked by intricate raked patterns, echo the chiseled stone of the landscape. Native plantings and a warm material palette of gravel, wood, and steel ground the structure, allowing it to seamlessly integrate into the site while framing expansive, infinite desert views under a vast Arizona sky.
Originating at the main entrance, the layered slabs and monolithic, boulder-like masses are anchored by a central circulation spine. Spanning the width of the home, this primary corridor organizes the distinct programmatic volumes. By opening to both the east and west elevations, the axis draws in abundant natural light while framing deliberate sightlines into the surrounding desert context.
The design articulates a single volume with two distinct characters: an exposed, sculptural public face and a sheltered, view-oriented retreat. Negotiating between civic presence and domestic privacy, each elevation responds deliberately to its specific site conditions. Adapting to the site's natural slope, the massing steps down from the elevated entry sequence. At the rear, the floating deck extends outward, simultaneously framing expansive views and functioning as an integrated shading canopy for the subterranean level below.
Projecting from the main corridor, the master bedroom and bathroom occupy the home's boulder-like volumes. Separated by an interstitial floating garden, both spaces deliberately draw the desert landscape inward. Within the suite, a floating concrete vanity conceptually extends the structure's monolithic exterior massing directly into the interior.
Weathering steel railings descend to a shaded, sunken desert garden. By extending the exterior sandy terrain into the interior, the design blurs the threshold between site and structure. This sheltered linear courtyard provides a private spatial contrast to the expansive viewing deck on the primary level. At the rear elevation, an open-air shower engages the remote desert context, framing unobstructed views of the surrounding landscape.
Principal:
Design Team:
Matthew Royce
Swetha Arunkumar
Meike Kroger
Chloe Lee
General Contractor:
Structural Engineer:
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Photography:
Alexo Construction
John A. Martin & Associates
Bill Royce, Matthew Royce