THIS HOME LAYOUT BORROWS FROM THE SPANISH PLANNING TRADITION OF A COURTYARD SURROUNDED BY LIVING SPACES. THIS IDEA, ORIGINATING FROM SPAIN AND THE MIDDLE EAST, IS EVIDENT IN SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO WITH ITS NUMEROUS COURTYARDS AND PLAZAS FOUND THROUGHOUT THIS HISTORIC CITY. TRADITIONALLY, A COURTARD WAS DESIGNED FOR PRIVACY AND A SIMPLE WAY TO COOL THE HOUSE AT NIGHT; A DESIGN STRATEGY THAT IS STILL RELEVENT TODAY AND ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE WITH ADDITONAL ENERGY SAVING TECHNIQUES.

THE HOUSE IS DESIGNED ON A 9-SQUARE PARTI WITH THE LIVING SPACES FORMING A U-SHAPE SURROUNDING A CENTRAL COURTYARD. THE ENTRY TO THIS HOUSE IS THROUGH A TRADITIONAL “ZAGWAN” AND INTO A PRIVATE COURTAYRD. THE COURTYARD IS IMAGED AS A LANDSCAPE THAT REFLECTS NEW MEXICO GEOLOGY; INDEPENDANT MOUNTAIN RANGES SURROUNDED BY HIGH DESERT PLAINS. STEPPING UNDER A SOUTH FACING PORTAL, THE ENTRY IS NEAR. WHAT PROVES MOST DELIGHTFUL ABOUT THIS HOUSE IS ITS SIMPLE STUCCO FORMS, WOOD GRILLES, PORTALS, AND CARVED COLUMNS AT PLAY IN NATURAL LIGHT. THE HOME’S EXTERIOR IS CONSIDERED TEXTURED, WHILE ITS INTERIOR, SMOOTH. BOTH ARE JOINED TOGETHER WITH SENSITIVE DETAILING AND A NATURAL COLOR PALETTE. HIGH IN PERSONAL COMFORT AND PROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS, THE HOME’S MODULATED NATURAL LIGHT AND INTIMATE SPACES DEFINE A PLACE OF ONE’S OWN