RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY

CaSa Sol in Tucson, Arizona, was designed as the primary home for a mechanical engineer and a web designer to spend time with their growing family. The intent of the design is to utilize light and nature-inspired hues as a backdrop to create an overall comfortable ambiance. Emphasis will be put on sustainability and health using renewable energy, efficient equipment and clean materials. The aim is to enhance wellbeing.

Infill development in dense, diverse location. Since the project is focused on incorporating ecological aspects, it is important to begin by selecting a proper location which affects several environmental factors. Therefore, the bungalow is built on an empty lot, located at 714 N Perry Ave in Tucson By placing it at this site, it will offer the homeowners various amenities within walking distance, access to public spaces and mass transportation to reduce car use, all while limiting urban sprawl and strengthening the existing community.

Design that draws you in. The overall concept pulls one to Arizona, home of the 5 Cs:

As a nod to these elements, we see orange peel wall texture, a potted lemon tree, a local painting depicting a cow, copper finishes, dried cotton branches and sustainable materials These natural elements also contribute to biophilic design, which can improve wellbeing by engaging all senses and reinforcing the relationship with nature

Inside-outside design. The color palette “Nature’s Beauty” was chosen to solidify the project’s connection to earth and to create an environment of comfort and creativity With an appreciation for nature, the collection offers clean, simple and refined hues that invite the user to stay. The bond is Art and Craft (DET682), an eternal color reminiscent of a chocolate diamond. As an essential component of the design, Art and Craft (DET682) connects past to now, earth to air, craft to art. Because of it, the space is transformed: it fills the home with an intricacy that expresses order and intrigue.

The focal point of the home is the kitchen, positioned in the north-east corner of the home, open to both the dining room and the living room. Its ceiling, with the exposed wooden beams, follows the slanted roof line; it peaks at twelve feet, giving the whole kitchen an open feel. Facing the east side to benefit from early morning sunlight and cooler temperatures in late afternoon during meal prep, there is a large, sliding window with the windowsill height at thirty-six inches. On top, a trapezoid window to accentuate the shape of the room. On the north side there are three continuous wall-roof windows, which create varying light and shadow conditions as the sun moves across the sky. By placing them on the north side, there is added consistent daylighting throughout the day to conserve energy, and enhanced views of the outdoors without the harsh light and heat of the southern and western exposures. Along with the sloped ceiling, the room feels generous with the island that has seating for eight. It was salvaged from old cotton factory tables, another reference to the Arizona 5 Cs.

Sustainable, healthy, salvaged materials were incorporated throughout. The island pendants are reclaimed from rattan baskets and use LED bulbs. The designer is not only repurposing old pieces but is bringing a bit of nature inside the home with the natural materials and the play of light and shapes across the room. The oak hardwood floors were also salvaged from the same factory and were refinished using the wood stain Penofin Verde, endorsed by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, a regulatory agency responsible for improving air quality for large cities. This wood stain is 100% sustainable, petroleum free, zero VOC, no odor, no fumes. It is made with vegetable ester solvents, tough plantbased resins and Brazilian rosewood oil. The Dunn-Edwards

Everest paint is also approved by the South Coast AQMD due to it being 100% acrylic, having zero VOCs and practically no odor. In place of drywall, cob – a mixture of clay, sand, straw and water – was used. Because cob uses locally sourced, natural materials, it has an extremely low carbon and ecological footprint. It is as strong and even more durable than concrete and is resistant to fire, termites and mold.

Another design feature in the house is the handcrafted ceramic tile offered by Fireclay Tile. This business was founded in 1986 and is the first tile company to be certified as a Benefit Corporation. The factory uses 100% renewable electricity, offsets 100% of carbon emissions, recaptures water, reuses glaze sludge and is LEED credit eligible. The tile has a recycled clay body of granite fines that boasts of an impressive breaking strength of 393 lbs. per foot. For CaSa Sol, the hexagon shape “Picket” is selected for its fresh take on the artisanal, and stacked in a braided arrangement for an organic-inspired flow.

In a like manner, the company Vetrazzo produces heat and UV resistant countertops that contain 85% recycled glass. For this project, the “Martini Flint” slab was chosen because of its purity and elegance, a perfect complement to the natural materials in the rest of the space.