Building Profile: Phoenix Residence Excellence

by Mark Robins | September 1, 2021 12:00 am

NATURAL METALS

The house features weathering 22-guage Corten flush seam wall panels of varied widths and 22-gauge weathering Corten facia and gutters, along with weathered cold-rolled plate steel site walls, all from Central Steel Service Inc., Pelham, Ala. A custom weathering steel pipe fireplace flue works in conjunction with boardform concrete, cedar shiplap soffits and ceilings, glass, ground concrete floors, wide plank white oak flooring and cabinetry, and an exposed aggregate concrete hardscape.

“Corten steel is a natural material that integrates well with the palette of other natural materials utilized on the house which will continue to weather and change over time,” Enyart says. “The material also has a high recycled content, which was important to the overall sustainability of the project. The contractor, Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Blackhawk Building Co., purchased the Corten coil and shop-fabricated the flush seam panels.”

“The house is unique in that the entire house is covered in a random panel of Corten siding; plus, the railings, chimney flue and fencing panels all correlate with the overall design,” says Ben Hawkins, Blackhawk Building’s general contractor/owner. “Great lengths were put in place to ensure the concrete had gaps or gutters to ensure that the rusted siding did not damage the exposed aggregate siding so that the house could be relatively maintenance free. No need to seal again or paint; just let the metal to continue its natural/organic patina.”

Although varied in their width, the length of the weathering metal flush seam panels is a consistent 10 feet, which creates a strong datum. “This aligns with the large windows [from Windsor Windows and Doors, West Des Moines, Iowa] and multislide doors at the upper and lower levels of the home, and allowed for the panels to be shop-fabricated by the contractor to accommodate custom onsite fabrication where required to achieve alignment with the building’s vertical fenestration,” Enyart says. “The weathering metal wall panels and site walls featured in the design of the home are honest in their expression and responsive to the client’s request for a durable, low-maintenance home.”

“The metal panels are all vertical but the board-formed concrete has horizontal lines,” Hawkins explains. “Both of these materials are difficult to use in combination due to not having any tolerance for errors with any of our construction. Great lengths were taken to ensure alignment of all panels with windows and to make sure that everything was intentional. Beyond the aesthetic appeal, the house flows well and lives great. One thing that is important beyond the design of a beautiful home.”

A LINEAR TWO-LEVEL PLAN

Its linear two-level plan has an elongated site allowing for connectivity from interior spaces to the pool, yard, outdoor covered patio and second-level deck focusing on views of the surrounding golf course and Camelback Mountain. “In section, the roof line and massing at the front of the house steps up to create an expansive and dramatic open great room with a ceiling and roof line that appears to float above the ribbon south-facing clearstory window cantilevering beyond the board-form concrete walls to define the entry to the home,” Enyart says. “Continuation of the shiplap cedar ceiling with precision joint alignment through the fenestration and full-height sliding doors further blurs the lines between interior and exterior space. The second level is accessed through an open tread, glue-laminated beam stair with vertical cable rails off the main living space. The upper-level bedrooms and office space open onto an outdoor deck.”

SOUTHWEST SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY

The expansive, floor-to-ceiling, multislide doors, vertical fenestration and ribbon clerestory windows are protected by deep cantilevered overhangs clad in the weathering metal fascia that mitigates direct solar gain. It also helps to further connect the interior and exterior environments. The weathering steel roof fascia has a continuous 22-gauge Corten weathering steel gutter that cantilevers at the ends to strategically capture and direct roof water runoff.

Other sustainable design strategies include high recycled content of metal building materials, solar orientation consideration for fenestration with calculated roof overhangs to minimize direct solar gain in the summer months, natural daylighting, sustainably harvested wood, automated solar shades from Phoenix-based Intelli-Shade, operable windows for natural ventilation, and energy-efficient LED lighting from Phoenix-based Hinkley’s Lighting with scene controls that can optimize energy performance.

“High-performance, multizone mechanical systems increase overall energy performance and allow for individualized control of the various zones of the house,” Enyart says. “Large, multislide aluminum and glass doors were provided by Tucson, Ariz.-based Arcadia Custom and are designed to pocket and allow for the entirety of the great room interior to open to the pool and exterior covered patio. The operable windows and sliding doors for natural ventilation create a venturi effect and increase airflow between the lower and upper levels of the home, which allows the interior environment to be passively conditioned during milder times of the year.”

Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/articles/building-profile-phoenix-residence-excellence/

---