On Phoenix’s famed Camelback Mountain sits some of the finest residences in the city. Most, if not all, afford their owners exhilarating vistas of the vast Valley of the Sun. One in particular gives its residents that and more — what its architect calls “an up close and personal view of the red rocks of Camelback.”
Categories
Location
“We wanted to create an intimate connection with the side of the mountain coming right up to the home,” says architect Cavin Costello.
The home wasn’t always a sight to behold. Its previous life as a Spanish Colonial-style residence failed to take full advantage of its mountainside setting.
“We wanted to create an intimate connection with the side of the mountain coming right up to the home, and we wanted to create long, panoramic views of the Valley and mountains beyond,” says Cavin Costello, principal architect of The Ranch Mine, the Phoenix-based design firm that led the remodel. “We did this by rearranging the interior of the house and adding a front addition that allows every habitable room to open up to a shaded outdoor patio. And we provided ample glass to take in views from everywhere in the house.”
The result is a lively, striking 4,500-square-foot home with contemporary lines, big glass, and a modern aesthetic.
From most rooms of the home, one gets a view of the Phoenix skyline in the distance.
This bedroom embraces desert views and invites natural light into the space.
Not just big glass is used in this mountainside residence.
What once was a dated Spanish Colonial-style design is now a contemporary, site-specific architectural statement.
“It was the first time we ever designed one,” says Costello. “We knew that we had to figure out a way to create more shade facing south, but the trick was that we still wanted the homeowners to take in the panoramic views. The screen filters the sun during the day, and it can be folded up at night (or when you want to be in the sun) to enjoy the amazing views. The custom pattern is denser at the top and bottom, allowing you to still have a nice view through the screens while seated.”
Architect Cavin Costello declares this “Juliet balcony” one of his favorite parts of the home.
At night, Costello says, it’s fun to watch to watch planes fly over the desert toward Sky Harbor International Airport to the south.
Exceptional values lead to exceptional work.
Read Story
Designed for indoor-outdoor living.
Read Story
Built and tested to last.
Read Story
