44 DIGS.NET
| 9.6.24
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P R O F I L E | S T U D I O R I C K J O Y
organically from the ochre-hued hills is
a credit to its weathered edifice—"like
some rusted artifacts from a cowboy
camp," as the studio puts it. The
roughhewn components of the project
highlight the toned-down elements of
the interior: white plaster, stainless steel,
maple and translucent glass. Along
with standard cooling systems, the
house also features cross ventilation
and polished concrete flooring. Finally,
cast-in-place form finish concrete
retaining walls evoke a signature of
Mexican architect Luis Barragán.
As a window into Rick Joy himself,
Tubac House speaks to an architect
both informed and affected by place
and atmosphere. It's clear that Joy
thrills to a sense of discovery born
from an architecture of slow, nuanced
observation. Tubac House, then, is
foremost a vision. studiorickjoy.com
It's a desert oasis in miniature, appointed
with dark shaded spots, water features
and flowers, birdsong and sage. "The
courtyard provides relief from the
overwhelmingly expansive setting while
the two buildings frame a cropped
view of Tumacacaori peak—the client's
favorite," notes the studio. A negative
edge pool located at the west end of
the courtyard, meanwhile, extends this
view and brings reflection into the fold.
Tubac House is perhaps best
understood as a study in contrasts.
"The coarseness of the rough steel
exterior contrasts with the refinement
of the interior palette," explains the
studio, adding "protruding steel box
window forms frame specific views of
lightning storms and numerous iconic
distant mountain forms or 'Sky Islands'
as we Sonoran Desert dwellers call
them." That the structure seems to grow
