Desert Nomad House Rick Joy Architects 1
Introduction Desert Nomad House, Rick Joy 2 Located in the heart of the Arizona desert, after driving some miles over dirt roads and through low scrub, one will stumble across three rusted steel boxes. On closer inspection, the separate small (200 square foot), medium (440 square foot) and large (780 square foot) boxes have come together to form a home, comprising of a kitchen, living room, bedroom and office. The architect Rick Joy, who is best known for his series of desert- based dwellings, has carefully designed these metal boxes. Joy s work has been described by the RIBA International Fellows 2016 as distinguished by an economic elegance of design, a close connection to site conditions and a refined sense of raw material in its construction. This is no more apparent than in his Arizona Desert Nomad House. Joy started the project, previously known as Casa Jax, in 2003 but work stopped before completion. The property stood empty in the barren desert for almost two years before the art dealer, Walter Cecil, acquired it. He was immediately drawn to isolated steel boxes, which were, in themselves, pieces of artwork. The name of the property was changed to Desert Nomad House (Pearson, Architectural Record Magazine, April 2005, page 153). Site Layout Plan, drawn by Jessica Smits 3
Inspiration 15 Untitled Works In Concrete, Donald Judd 4 In 1984, Donald Judd showcased his 15 untitled works in concrete at the Chinati Foundation, Texas. Judd s work belongs to the Minimalist movement and his designs showcase the simplistic, repeated geometric forms produced from industrialised materials. Judd was able achieve an integration of form and space with art and the environment, the earth tones used mirroring that of the Texas desert (The Art Story, Modern Art Insight). Judd s contemporary designs, along with the artists Richard Serra and Robert Irwin, became a major influence in Joy s work (Architectural Record Magazine, April 2005, page 153). I tend to treat buildings first like an instrument that frames activities. It s not a search for form making as much as it is a stage for life. And that s why sometimes the buildings come out to be a little different than normal, like three rusty cubes in the desert One of the main elements in the design is lighting. Joy describes the Arizona desert as a beautiful light show and wanted to create a space that could observe this at any time of the day. The three separate spaces evolved into a house with three different rooms and three different forms (Rick Joy, lecture at the University of Washington, March 2014). Through the positioning of the separate boxes, Joy has achieved a single aperture from which one can experience each sun lighting event. The southwest rising sun illuminates the bedroom; the main living space has the early evening view to the southeast and the den, facing northwest, experiences less sunlight but has a sense of intimacy with nature (The Desert Works, 2002). - Rick Joy, The Architectural League NY, 2015 Use of lighting View from inside the bedroom and den 5
1 2 Jessica Smits W1507473 ACSS403 Building Design Being at one with nature Casa Jax (later Desert Nomad House) in 2003 6 Joy has always ensured that his designs are complimentary of its surroundings. In a letter to his clients, Joy states that we are continually striving to create architecture that is regionally sympathetic and well- grounded in the context and community of its place, wherever the place may be (Rick Joy, 1994). There is an apparent sense of being at one with nature portrayed by the Desert Nomad House, which has been achieved through the use of materials and the positioning of the separate units. Desert Nomad House in 2005 7 The rugged steel exemplifies the harsh and relentless desert surroundings which, over time, have rusted from a light grey colour to a beautiful golden topaz. This mirrors the changes in both the desert s light and colour at different points in time. In contrast to the exterior, the interior s maple veneer and delicate translucent glass provides a sense of elegancy and has a more homely feel. These elements create a home which seamlessly blends both indoor and outdoor living. The positioning of the boxes has also been carefully considered. The units are elevated above the ground in order not to disturb the desert creatures habitat and the stilts allow water to flow freely underneath. Joy designed the living spaces to consist of three separate units as he wanted the occupant to walk outside on the ground and re- orientate yourself with the nature of the place (Lecture by Rick Joy at the University of Washington Department of Architecture 5 March 2014). The separation of the metal boxes also strengthens the sense of isolation in the middle of the desert. The floor to ceiling windows provides a spectacular view out onto the desert, Walter Cecil stating that he is able to see nature carefully but not disturb it (Desert Works, 2002).
The task of architecture is not to entertain us, or to suffocate us with impressions of witty formal inventions, but to create the silence, calmness and concentration that enable us to experience the beauty of the world and life around us At a glance, it is easy to mistake the Desert Nomad House as three rusted boxes which form a rather impractical house in the barren desert. However, Joy should be complimented for designing a home that is not bold and overwhelming, and seamlessly blends into the background, reflecting the surroundings in which it is located. With the beautifully designed and orientated small, medium and large units, one must remember the most important element, and that is the XL the landscape all around it (Pearson, Architectural Record Magazine, 2006, page 157). With this in mind, Rick Joy has created something quite truly remarkable. - Rick Joy, Desert Works, 2002 Lorem Ipsum Dolor [Street Address] [City], [State][Postal Code] [Web Address] CAD drawings Sections and elevations, drawn by Jessica Smits 8