The Red Rock House Is an Architectural Dialogue With the Desert

  October 9, 2024
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In the heart of Summerlin, Nevada, Faulkner Architects has designed the Red Rock residence in collaboration with Concept Lighting Lab as an extension of its natural environment. The home responds to the dramatic contrasts of its surroundings with views of the Las Vegas Strip to the east and the rugged Red Rock Canyon to the west. The scenic location, combined with the unforgiving climate of the Nevada desert, posed unique challenges and opportunities that shaped the design of the home. The result is a residence that reflects the desert’s stark beauty while offering refuge from its extreme conditions.

Situated on a three-quarter-acre lot, the house is designed to endure the punishing desert climate. The winds that sweep through the area are relentless, winters are cold and dry, and summers are blisteringly hot, punctuated by monsoon storms. These environmental factors necessitated a design approach that prioritizes protection from the elements while embracing the beauty of the landscape. At the same time, privacy and durability were key concerns, leading to a structure that is both robust and refined, minimalist yet deeply expressive.

A modern kitchen with wooden ceiling and floor features a long counter, bar stools, and hanging lights. Large windows with sheer curtains offer a view of a desert landscape and mountains outside.

The house embraces a minimalistic design philosophy that echoes the simplicity of the desert. The layout utilizes a subtractive approach, carving out a wind-sheltered courtyard on the eastern side of the property. Here, an elevated basin of water reflects the architecture, offering a mirror image of the living space and subtly referencing the distant skyline of Las Vegas. This integration of water contrasts with the arid desert, symbolizing the fragile relationship between nature and urban development.

Modern kitchen with wooden cabinets, a large white marble island, and matching wooden bar stools. Ceiling and walls feature dark metallic elements, adding a contemporary design touch.

Modern interior with concrete walls, wooden paneling, large windows, a black bench, and illuminated abstract light fixture. A staircase with a metal railing leads to an upper level.

The entryway to the home is designed to be an experience in itself. Visitors pass through a narrow opening in the massive concrete walls, which, at eye level with the basin, draws the eye to the reflection of the distant city. This threshold leads to a shaded and closed corridor that ramps up to a private entry courtyard. Open to the sky, this space is softened by a vertical garden of native desert plants, offering a serene transition from the outside world into the interior of the home. The architecture performs as a mediation between the rugged desert landscape and the more refined and controlled environment of the house.

Modern architectural entryway featuring a glass ceiling, a vertical garden wall on the left, and large glass windows on the right. The space leads to a wooden door at the far end.

Modern bedroom with large floor-to-ceiling windows, a double bed, contemporary art on the walls, and minimalist furnishings. View of a mountainous landscape outside.

The material palette of the Red Rock House is intentionally restrained, relying on local materials that connect the building to its surroundings. The use of locally sourced sand, gravel, and fly ash to create concrete for the floors and walls gives the structure a natural buff hue that resonates with the distant mountains. These materials were chosen not just for their aesthetic qualities but also for their ability to endure the desert conditions. In the intense desert light, the concrete takes on a warm, sunlit tone that changes throughout the day.

Modern bathroom with wood paneling, marble walls, large mirror, and glass shower enclosure. A small round chair sits in the middle of the room.

The upper-level sleeping areas are housed within a framework of perforated weathering steel. This screen not only protects the interior from the sun but also provides a measure of privacy while allowing for natural ventilation. The perforations in the steel create a dappled effect of light and shadow, adding a dynamic quality to the interior spaces as the sun moves across the sky.

A bedroom featuring a large artwork, a white bed, a wooden bench, a white lamp, and a desk near a large window with sheer curtains, offering a view of an outdoor landscape.

In a gesture that further integrates the house with its surroundings, over half of the built structure is located below ground level. This not only reduces the building’s visual impact on the site but also provides natural insulation from the extreme temperatures. Sunlight is introduced into these subterranean spaces through carefully placed openings, some of which are submerged below the water level of the basin, creating a dramatic interplay of light, shadow, and reflection throughout the day.

A modern bathroom features a wall-mounted wooden vanity with open shelves and cabinets, a rectangular sink, and a large mirror. The walls are lined with white marble tiles.

Modern concrete balcony with lounge seating, ambient lighting, and a view of a distant city skyline and waterfront at dusk.

Modern architectural setting with a minimalist concrete wall, wooden deck, and an infinity pool reflecting the sky. A white lounge chair is placed on the deck.

The house is equipped with a range of energy-efficient systems, including a 45-kilowatt photovoltaic array that powers the home, high-efficiency glazing to reduce heat gain, and mechanical and lighting systems designed to minimize energy use. The roof, which is highly reflective, helps to mitigate the intense desert heat, while the design of the building itself maximizes natural ventilation and shading.

A modern exterior features a wooden deck, a reflecting pool, and concrete walls with a single narrow door. Cushions and a yoga mat are placed on the deck beside the pool.

Rectangular outdoor pool next to modern concrete architecture with open-air sections, reflecting the blue sky and surrounding landscape in the water's surface.

Modern house with open-air design featuring a reflective pool. In the background, desert landscape with rugged hills and clear blue sky.

A modern outdoor walkway with wooden beams and mesh screens features an arrangement of cushion-like seating. Desert landscape is visible in the background.

On the south side of the house, a shaded deck extends out from the structure, offering a place to relax while being shielded from the intense heat of the desert sun. The deck, which is screened with perforated mesh, also serves to protect the house and the cars parked below from the elements. This thoughtful integration of shading devices and natural ventilation systems ensures that the house remains cool and comfortable even during the hottest days of summer.

A modern outdoor space with concrete walls, featuring four lounge chairs around a rectangular fire pit, illuminated by the fire's glow. The sky is twilight blue.

A modern, minimalist house with large glass walls, an open-plan living area, and an outdoor patio featuring a fire pit and wooden seating, set against a twilight sky.

Modern concrete house at dusk with large windows, warm interior lighting, and sparse desert landscaping including bare trees and shrubs.

Modern building featuring an industrial design with concrete and rusted metal elements, including an overhanging second floor and large garage entrance. The structure is illuminated by outdoor lights.

Modern two-story house with large windows and wooden accents set in a desert landscape with minimalistic pathways and xeriscaping.

Modern two-story house with large windows and a blend of concrete and wooden elements, surrounded by trees and natural landscaping, photographed at dusk.

Modern two-story house with large windows and a minimalist design, set amidst a natural landscape with trees and shrubs.

For more information on Faulkner Architects, click here, and for more from Concept Lighting Lab, click here.

Photography by Joe Fletcher.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.





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