A R C H I T E C T U R E & D E S I G N | S P E C H T A R C H I T E C T S
the adobe and wood beam traditions of
historic Santa Fe architecture," the archi-
tect adds. He also notes that the use of
natural concrete fits into the regionally
approved palette while the whole compo-
sition chimes with single-story height
regulations.
The defining feature of the architecture
are two perpendicular concrete walls
that anchor the spaces spiraling around
them—a feature that Specht as an archi-
tect found compelling. Moreover, "It gives
a clarity to the design," he explains. "The
walls also act as an orienting element as
you move through the house." First comes
compression, then breathtaking expan-
sion, as the procession starts in the cool,
recessed courtyard (a private vestibule
shaded by trees and appointed with water
elements) and continues via a cut in one
of the concrete walls that leads to an open
living space where the Sangre de Cris-
tos are on full and glorious show through
vast floor-to-ceiling glass. Cantilevered
roof forms, meanwhile, create a perime-
ter of porches that help shade the interior.
"This progression reveals the site in a
dramatic and almost spiritual way," says
Specht, who considers the sun itself as
an important sequence. "The house is in
effect a sundial that merges the forces
of the site with the daily activities of the
inhabitants."
Material is key to the project. "The mono-
lithic look of the concrete felt right for the
site," Specht says. "It is solid and heavy
and eliminated the fussiness that is often
apparent in structures made of many
different materials or components. It was
flexible, however, and able to be formed
with openings that frame important
views." There is something elegant about
concrete, too; it is uniquely workable
and, vitally for this project, sympathetic
to the character of Santa Fe. It is ideal
in terms of performance, as well. Due to
the extreme changes of the desert climes,
"concrete acts as a 'thermal mass,' soak-
ing up the warmth of the sun during the
day and re-radiating it at night when it is
T O P C E N T E R , L E F T B O T T O M & R I G H T B O T T O M P H O T O S B Y: C A S E Y D U N N ; T O P R I G H T P H O T O : TA G G A RT S O R E N S E N
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| 5.19.23
