Dubbed the Telescope House, this cabin in Arizona is designed by Wendell Burnette Architects, and is created to capture the stunning views while slowly merging into the landscape like a “dark shadow”. This well-designed home is located in Sedona, a high-desert town located around two hours north of Phoenix by car. This area is popular for its red-colored rock formations, arts scene, and outdoor activities.
Designer: Wendell Burnette Architects
Providing framed views of Sedona, the cabin occupies 1600 square feet and is designed for a couple who plans to live there full-time soon. It is a cozy nature retreat, which is rented out when the client isn’t staying at home. “This home is designed to recede into the landscape as a dark shadow,” said Phoenix-based studio Wendell Burnette Architects. The home is rectangular, and is perched on a gently sloping site, and was constructed atop the footprint of another building.
The Telescope House is fitted between rows of old Juniper trees which frame picture-perfect views of Munds Mountain, and a butte called the Cathedral Rock. The home functions as a “land-based telescope”, and it flows towards the framed views in the plan and section.
“The Corten cladding is made of standard-size sheets lapped downslope and folded down N-S elevations as full-height flashing,” the team said. “It is naturally fireproof along with steel-plate window frames.” The exterior walls of the home are wrapped in weathering steel, which protects the home against wildfires.
The interior of the home has a segregation between the private and public spaces. The western side of the home includes two bedrooms and a primary suite, as well as a carport. The eastern side of the home contains a kitchen, living room, and dining area. “At night, the interior and exterior combine to comfortably recede even further into this dark-sky valley community,” said the team. The walls, ceilings, floor, doors, and cabinets have all been crafted from recycled wood panels infused with a dark pigment and then buffed and waxed, which allows the interiors to seamlessly merge with the exterior and the surrounding landscape.
