High Desert House

Who is the home for, who are the clients, what were they after and how did you meet?

Heather and Chase, who at the time lived in San Francisco, contacted me soon after they purchased the property, and explained that they wanted to build a dream home in the High Desert, where they could live simply, and each explore their creative practices.

A bit of context, have you built in the region/desert before? 

I’ve designed houses throughout the Bay Area, in Los Angeles, and in Hawaii, but never before in the desert, which is a very different context. But I’ve always felt inspired by the desert, it’s openness and it’s sublime beauty. When I was in Architecture school, I was first introduced to the work of the artists and sculptors working in the Land Art Movement of the 1960’s and 70’s, (Michael Heizer, Robert Smithson, Nancy Holt…) and found it so inspiring to see how the context of the desert landscape gave meaning to the works.

What was the main driver for the design/the central core of the brief? 

Being a beautiful and totally undeveloped site in the middle of the desert, as a starting place we all felt the need to respect the landscape with the design of the house, maintaining a compact footprint while still enjoying the sense of expansiveness one feels in the desert. And from a design perspective, we wanted the house to both feel like a clear sculptural gesture while also being a warm and inviting home.

What inspired you for the design solution and final form? did you draw on past experiences, references, the desert itself? 

I’ve had the opportunity to work on the renovation of several Mid-Century Eichler homes over the years and have always enjoyed the process because those houses were designed to be really straightforward and economical in their logic. The exposed post-and-beam structural design has a super clear, minimalist simplicity, which I think is always a great starting point for a project. So, in a similar way, when we started the design process, we knew that we wanted the clarity of an exposed beam structure, and used the regular spacing of those members to inform the layout of the rooms.

In terms of other architectural references, we found ourselves looking at many notable artist’s studios, from Georgia O’Keeffe and Willem and Elaine de Kooning, to the home Luis Barragan designed for himself. In all of these spaces there was a beautiful comingling of creative work and life that we wanted to channel into this project.

What’s the building made of? materials, techniques etc worth mentioning?

The house is wood-framed construction, with a plaster stucco exterior which was chosen because it can withstand the extreme fluctuations of the weather in the desert. One of the more interesting questions we faced through the design process was choosing a color for the exterior. We initially explored using a neutral tone plaster with the thought that it would blend in with the desert landscape. But as we studied that option further, we realized that it actually took away from the architecture and the landscape, and that having more of a contrast in tone helped to highlight the beauty of the surroundings.

What makes the project special in your view? what do you love about it? 

In order to get to the property you drive several miles down an unpaved, sandy road through the desert, seeing the occasional home or trailer along the way. And then you take a final turn, and the house begins to emerge from behind a rock outcropping, and what you see is this white line in the landscape, and it feels just so surprising, and I think beautiful.

Could you please tell us about your background, and the journey to starting your own practice?

I’m originally from Los Angeles and I went to college (Brown) and graduate school (Harvard GSD) in New England, and lived in that area for ten years before moving back to California, San Francisco specifically. In college I focused my studies on Classics and Ancient History, but I always kept a creative studio practice of painting, drawing, and working with ceramics. Going to graduate school to study Architecture felt like a really natural next step and way to integrate my academic and creative interests.

After working at a few different offices through and after graduate school, I realized quickly that the process of working directly with clients to create spaces and homes felt really meaningful to me, and inspired me to start my own practice.

What is most challenging, and on the flip side most rewarding about designing in California?

What I love about designing in California is that we have such a range of climates, topographies and nature that every project feels unique. You can drive 3 hours from the surf to the snow, crossing beautiful desert landscapes in between. Also, I’ve found that the people who move or live here have a shared respect for the place, and embrace that sense of freedom and possibility that the West always held.

Who or what has had the largest influence on your work?

I think my background in studying Classics and Ancient Art and Architecture has had a big influence in terms of my respect for buildings that reflect clear design principals. When looking at ancient ruins, you think about how to read them, and how to draw inferences from what you see, and what elements and aspects of the architecture carry meaning. That quality of material simplicity and beauty, it’s almost Platonic. Of course houses are very different in their nature, but that feeling of honest space I find so inspiring.

Your homes have a strong emphasis on indoor-outdoor living. Why is this important now, more than ever before?

Personally, I really enjoy being outside, and like the idea of imagining a home as a place where you can be both sheltered and free. I’ve found that being outdoors and in nature can be such a real reset, and I’m inspired by the idea of a house that can awaken that feeling.

OWNER

Would you mind sharing a few more personal details, like your professions and where you are from, et cetera?

My name is Heather Day and I’m a painter. I was born in Ewa Beach, Hawaii but moved around a lot growing up, spending time in Japan, Virginia, and Chicago. I studied painting at MICA in Baltimore, Maryland. I’ve exhibited work at institutions such as Fort Wayne Museum of Art, The Urban Institute of Contemporary Art in Grand Rapids and MASS MOCA. I’m currently working on a body of work for The Armory Show in New York this September.

My partner is Chase McBride. He’s a creative director, musician, and as he likes to say,  “a dormant painter.” He was born and raised in eastern Montana and moved to California for college. Chase loves woodworking as well. He built our dining table and many of the picture frames in our home.

How did you find the property and how did you decide to build a new house in the remote desert?

I started coming to Joshua Tree in 2014 to visit friends who live here. I was drawn to the solitude, the beauty, and the strong artistic community. The first thing you notice here is how eerily quiet it is. You can almost hear the silence. I brought Chase down with me on one of those trips and we talked about finding a plot to build something for ourselves. In 2018, after a year of diligent searching and letter writing, we found and purchased an off-market 5 acre plot that backs up to a large swath of protected land.

Shortly after purchasing the land, we were back in San Francisco at a dinner party. There, we were introduced to clients of the architect who would eventually design our home. It turns out that while this couple’s home was being renovated, they had lived in the SF artist loft we were renting at the time. We told them about our plot of land and they suggested we talk to their architect, Ryan Leidner. We felt an immediate connection with Ryan and his approach to architectural space. The whole process felt kismet.

Were there any particular architectural styles that you were inspired by through the design process? Were you passionate about architecture and design prior to starting this project?

I think Chase and I have always been drawn to architecture. First, in an informal way when we were younger, and then in earnest when we both studied art in college. I remember seeing the famed studios of artists like Georgia O’Keeffe and Willem and Elaine de Kooning in textbooks and dreaming about having a space like that for myself. After a trip to Japan and seeing the Benesse House Museum in Naoshima, we fell in love with the brutal modernism of Tadao Ando. When we met with Ryan initially, it felt like we had a shared architectural philosophy, something of a mix of Scandinavian and Japanese modernism.

What was your briefing like when you hired Ryan Leidner?

After seeing Ryan’s wor and talking with his clients, we trusted him to guide the design of the space. We shared images of the property with him, talked about our lifestyle, and shared a few images of homes that we found inspiring. When he rolled out the initial architectural plans in the sand on our trip with him to Joshua Tree, we were sold.

What do you like and enjoy most about this house? Which rooms/places are your favorite and why?

We are really happy with our home. Living here has helped both of us slow down and savor each day. The way the windows frame the rugged landscape that seems to change throughout the day or with each season makes us feel closer to land. It’s like an ever-evolving painting outside.

We love how much emphasis there is on communal space in the design. We spend a lot of time in the living room and kitchen and love hosting friends and family. Chase is fond of cooking for guests, something he picked up from his mom, so our collection of recipe books has grown.

Selfishly, I’m delighted with the studio space. The natural light, ample floor space, big walls, and picture windows have changed the way I approach my painting practice. I feel like I can spread out and take time exploring ideas while still having enough separation from the work when needed.

How do you occupy the space, where do you usually like to start or end the day? Any rituals within or around the house? Do you spend a lot of time outside? How and where?

We start each day early, making coffee for me and tea for Chase in the kitchen before moving to the couch to watch the raking light dance across the boulders outside. There’s usually some wildlife waking up with us: a coyote running by, mating doves preening on the deck railing, or a desert tortoise ambling around. In the winter, we’ll get the wood burning stove going to help warm the space up. We both work from home so we try to take our time easing into the day.

We take a lot of walks around the property with our dog, Juno, often exploring the craggy hills and big granite boulders to the south of our backyard. In the evenings, we’ll open up the big windows out to the deck and soak in the sunset with a drink. It’s so quiet out here, it helps you reset after a long day.

Do you keep the doors and windows open most of the time?

We try to keep at least one door open in the mornings and evenings. It’s so nice to let the desert breeze blow through the house, especially after a summer monsoon when the smell of creosote blankets the desert. It’s a treat to fill up the soaking tub in the main bathroom and open up the door during sunset.

As two creatives, how have you found that the house supports or inspires your work?

The biggest change for us as creatives has been slowing down and having more time to explore our respective creative practices. The consideration that went into designing the home and giving everything its right place settles the mind and allows more inward focus.

Chase has been experimenting more in his recording practice, mining the space for different tones or recording configurations and taking on small woodworking projects around the house. I’ve long been inspired by the natural world, but being out here has helped clarify and expand some of those influences. My latest body of work explores clouds, their scientific makeup, and their cultural significance throughout history. The big windows, vast desert outside and changing light has undoubtedly guided that.