casa buena renovation
700 square feet | tucson, arizona
architect: repp + mclain design & construction
general contractor: repp + mclain design & construction
materials: smooth stucco, polycarbonate, birch, concrete
recognition: 2009 Southern Arizona Home of the Year Merit Award, Tucson Lifestyle (10/2009)
Located in Barrio Blue Moon, this 1929 adobe home was in a serious state of disrepair and in need of an enormous amount of work to return it to a livable state. Although it would have been simpler and more cost effective to demolish the structure and start from scratch, our Client was committed to preserving the home and the adobe walls which were originally formed with soil from the site. The thick walls provide recesses for deeply set windows and doors which are shaded by the massive walls, a great advantage in the hot summer months. The wainscot was then clad in a translucent polycarbonate to create a distinction between old and new. The existing wood floor, a termite delight, was removed and donated, and replaced with an exposed concrete slab throughout. The small site is enclosed by walls made of steel mesh and stone was inspired by the traditional gabion wall, offering both privacy and natural beauty.