Residential Walk-Through

The Six

Tucson, Arizona

Dreamspace | Tucson, Arizona

BY NORA BURBA TRULSSON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL TIMMERMAN

An overscale metal gate leads into a private entry courtyard.

Josias Thomas Joesler is, arguably, Tucson's most beloved architect. From the late 1920s until his death 1956, the prolific Joesler designed hundreds of homes and public buildings, many of which were done in detailed, romantic revival styles, appropriate to the desert region. Presently, Joesler-designed homes, scattered throughout the city's older neighborhoods as well as the Foothills near the Santa Catalina Mountains, are hot tickets on the local real estate scene.

When a University of Arizona architecture professor wanted to sell his 1935 Joesler adobe on a large lot near the Tucson university campus, he carefully chose the buyer. Rather than selling the property to someone who would subdivide it and remodel the vintage house beyond recognition, the owner contacted Dreamspace, a Tucson development firm. Composed of builder Page Repp, Jr., principal of Repp Design+Construction; Teresa Rosano, AIA, LEED AP; and Luis Ibarra, the development firm is best known for its Modernist infill projects in Tucson's older neighborhoods. The Joesler-owning architecture professor knew that the trio would respect the old house and sensitively develop the surrounding site with homes that reflect current aesthetics.

The central wing of the house includes the kitchen and an open living/dining room. Punkah louvers add interest to the far wall and efficiently move air in the space.

"We did some minor repairs and remodeling to the Joesler house," explains Rosano, who, with Ibarra, is a principal in Ibarra Rosano Design Architects, "and it sold right away." The trio then acquired an adjoining lot and set about designing a series of six speculative, zero–lot line courtyard homes that would appeal to everyone from young families to empty-nesters who enjoy being close to the university. They dubbed the project "The Six."

In design, the Dreamspace principals paid homage to the adjacent Joesler home. "We decided to keep the scale of the homes rather small and to one story, so they didn't overwhelm the Joesler," says Rosano. "We also decided to plaster the exterior walls, like the Joesler. Our accent materials — dark metals — are reminiscent of Joesler's use of dark wood accents. And, even though this particular Joesler doesn't have a courtyard, many of his Tucson homes did — so we decided to build our six houses around courtyards."

Clerestory and slot windows, plus window walls overlooking the courtyard, add daylighting to the interior.

The Dreamspace team designed similar floorplans for all six homes, with about 2,300 square feet of living space angled around an enclosed courtyard. One wing contains an open kitchen, dining and living area, which is flanked on one side by the master suite and on the other by a wing with two additional bedrooms and baths. A two-car garage forms the fourth "wing" around the courtyard. Two of the six homes have an additional 400-square-foot casita, which can be used as guest quarters or a home office.

Approach to the home is via a gravel drive, where a garage door, a nine-foot-square pivoting metal gate and a long plane of blank wall create a sense of enclosure at the front of the property. Inside the gate, the home's large window walls overlook the courtyard, flooding the interior with light without compromising privacy.

The garage and gate combine to provide a sense of enclosure for the residence.

The designers and builders chose Integra block, an insulated block system, for the walls, which were finished with a warm gray plaster, accented by the weathered metal of the garage door and courtyard gate. Inside, materials were also kept simple — scored, integrally colored concrete for the flooring, bright white walls, birch cabinetry and dark solid-surface counters for the kitchen. The bathrooms also feature birch cabinetry, plus coated-steel countertops and glass-tiled shower walls. In the voluminous living and dining area, cone-shaped Punkah louvers were installed in lieu of standard-issue air ducts. "They throw air farther across a room," explains Rosano of the industrial product.

As with previous Dreamspace projects, The Six includes sustainable elements and strategies, such as the super-efficient Integra block walls and low-flow plumbing fixtures. The homes were sited so that there is virtually no western exposure, sheltering the interiors from the harsh desert sun. Strategically placed window walls and clerestory windows throw daylight into the house without adding heat. "We also used a split mechanical system," says Rosano. "Owners can shut down the two-bedroom wing if it's not in use."

Birch cabinetry doubles as a headboard.

Progress on the project has been in phases, starting in 2007. Four are built, three are already sold. The last pair of homes is under construction. Joesler would likely approve.

Developer: Dreamspace, Tucson, AZ; www.dream-space.net.
Architecture: Ibarra Rosano Design Architects, 2849 E. Sylvia St., Tucson, AZ 85716; (520) 795-5477 or www.ibarrarosano.com.
Builder: Repp Design + Construction, 422 W. Speedway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85705; (520) 791-7035 or www.repp-inc.com.
Integra Wall System: www.integrawall.com.
Masonry: CMU, Tucson, AZ; (520) 907-5951.
Concrete flooring: Luciano Concrete, Tucson, AZ; (520) 405-9535.
Metalwork: Graphic Iron, Tucson, AZ; (520) 622-6382.
Tile: Hakatai, www.hakatai.com.
Tile installation: Dante Rosano, (520) 440-0151.
Cabinetry and bathroom sinks: IKEA, www.ikea.com.

Handsome, simple sinks and cabinetry combine effectively in a bathroom.