University House at Star Pass was a fanastic opportnuity to provide student housing for the University of Arizona in a somewhat surreal and very protected environment. Tucson, Arizona provides an engaging desert backdrop with design challenges to preserve rare Saguaro cacti, endangered wildlife and even a dark skies initiative for the local observatory.
The site was split into two phases with a natural drainage wash full of cacti and fauna dividing them. The vertical drop in the rugged terrain between the two phases provided a challanging site plan, which resulted in an exceptionally dynamic and visually interesting site composed of simple two story buildings. We worked with local contractors to fine tune construction details based on regional construction practices.
