Fred and JJ Milder

Santa Fe, NM

In construction

7,000 sf

with WoodMetalConcrete Architecture, Santa Fe, NM

Goals

• Create a home truly reflective of the client, the site, and the local culture.
• Implement principles of sustainable design and material selections – including the use of solar electric panels for generating power – leaving the home completely off the electric utility grid.

Challenges

• Design in a unique local vernacular.
• Work at a distance from the site.
• Address the desire of the client to have an antique home of traditional architecture, while avoiding cliché.

Design Response

• Created a traditional courtyard plan where each component – living room/kitchen, bedrooms, and master bedroom – is connected only by exterior portals (vernacular term for "covered porches").
• Designed the courtyard elements to frame views of the ranch lands and mountains.
• Varied the design of each component in an evolving architectural style – from the traditional living/dining/kitchen building at the core of the home, to what appear to be more recently constructed bedroom and master suite buildings around the courtyard. The design variations suggest a narrative and an evolution of the home, providing a sense of history and the character that comes with age.
• Used sustainable materials, such as autoclaved aerated concrete blocks, that inherently support natural responses to environmental conditions.
• Incorporated a full array of photovoltaic panels, solar heating panels, batteries, and other technologies to allow for modern living in this energy independent home.

Contractor

Fred and JJ Milder