More Projects

close
Return to projects
Desert House + enlarge

Photographer: Dominique Vorillon

Desert House

  • PROJECT ROLES
  • Jim Olson, Design Principal
  • LOCATION & YEAR
  • Rancho Mirage, CA, 1999

Project Details

This desert home near Palm Springs is located on a ridge above an arroyo. Solidity, mass and broad overhangs—traditional desert construction concepts—provide relief from the summer heat and harsh light. Natural colors and materials echo the surrounding landscape. Deep-set windows admit winter light, and sculpt it with light and shadow in the summer sun. Two offset colonnades, adjacent to which are living spaces, extend and connect the house to the environment; they also create architectural frames for art.