Telescope dome

In the hot, dry desert with mountains in the background sits a cool white pearl, like a mirage in the landscape. The client – an artist and astronomer – requested a home integrating a workshop, art gallery and telescope dome. Although half its area is a workshop, the residence did not split into a living/working duality; an exhibition gallery blends the two programmatic spaces. The main staircase intersects a corner of the room, making interaction with the works of art intertwined with circulation through the house. Blossoming like a desert flower, large doors open into the central courtyard where a curved canopy with translucent acrylic filters the harsh sunlight. Tucked partially underneath the second floor, the pool’s shallow end provide... More