Hidden Valley Desert House — Wendell Burnette FAIA

Desert Modern Architecture: Nestled on a five-acre slope in Cave Creek, the Hidden Valley Desert House is a “long pavilion for living” designed by Wendell Burnette, FAIA. This exceptional home features superb materials, detailed construction, and a unique plan, making it a masterwork of living design.

The design, seemingly straightforward, surprises with its details: From the ground, the home is anchored on a solid plinth with stepped, local concrete masonry walls and a monolithic, hand-applied plaster-style coating. Above, a large shade canopy appears to float, offering shelter. The upper roof canopy features a deep, mill-finish stainless steel fascia that screens solar panels and mechanicals, echoing the landscape and sky.

Approaching the home, a concrete stepped path leads to a dramatic gathering space. Water features are on the west, with ponds, while the east includes a fire pit for cool desert nights. Solar orientation and photovoltaic panels make this home eco-friendly.

Generous living is abundant here. The main level includes a chef’s kitchen with a coffee nook, opening to an outdoor gathering space. The great room features a dining area and built-in A/V wall. An intimate space includes a fire feature and wine column, converting to an outdoor patio room. A hidden transition wall reveals a private meditation room with a view of the koi pond shared with the owners suite. The Owners Suite opens outdoors, keeping the bath and sinks secluded. A Japanese-style bath includes a wood soaking tub and handmade wooden sink.

The plan offers three bedrooms plus extra exercise and office spaces, easily convertible for any needs. Guest rooms are on the lower level for privacy. The home includes a large, protected pet run. Artfully sited, the primarily south-facing home is surrounded by mature saguaro, with a unique ecology featuring a teddy bear cholla field to the east. The home is elevated for sweeping views from the Phoenix Valley to the south, with the Continental Mountains to the east reflecting the sunset sky.

Inside, the canopy’s underside uses a black theatrical fabric scrim for deep, soft shade and a continuous open feeling. Outside, a similar dark night sky wooden ceiling structure exists. The lowest level offers comfort, while the upper levels are open to views and earth, with doors and glazing creating a larger living space. When opened, there are often no distinctions between inside and outside.

A subtly rich material palette includes “shadow reflective finishes” of cold-rolled mill finish steel, ebonized sustainable MDF, three dark finishes of sustainable resin-infused paper, colored felt wall panels, and integral color purple-black hand-applied stucco walls with embedded vermiculite. The Japanese concept of “Wabi-Sabi” is embraced, celebrating new and old, rich and diverse textures.