Honorable Mention: High Desert Retreat
Aidlin Darling Design
Sited on a rocky desert plateau outside of Palm Desert, this single-family residence is tightly nestled within a constellation of boulders overlooking the Coachella Valley and the San Jacinto Mountain Range. The diagram of the home is a triptych of elements: a floating roof plane, a collection of wooden volumes, and two concrete anchor walls. A square, floating roof hovers over the home, providing respite from the sun in its opaque form and as a porous, wooden lattice. A singular aperture is carved out of the roof plane, framing the sky and providing the pool below with ample sun. Seven rectilinear volumes below the roof plane contain the program. Conceptually, they volumes began as a singular mass that splits apart and slides out into the landscape—maximizing the terrain’s effect and creating a central open space that functions as both the entry and dining room. The entry sequence from garage to house is articulated by the orientation and form of two concrete entry walls. They are juxtaposed to create a void between them and guide occupants to the glazed entry. The parallel concrete walls frame the heroic views to the east and the Coachella Valley below.