South Exterior
The design for the Blackbird residence came from the client's favorite song “Blackbird” by The Beatles. To comply with city ordinances it was integral to have the home feel like it was sculpted like the nature that surrounds it. This modern mansion is nestled in a valley of lava rock and surrounded by bright orange mountains. The home is not meant to stand out in the landscape but to be low profile and blend into the landscape.The dark gray exterior of the house melds into the black lava rock surrounding it, as well as calling reverence to the sleek black feathers of a blackbird. The multi-level roofs echo the plateaus along the horizon and the outstretched wings as a blackbird glides through the air.
West Exterior
To keep the interior light and break up the visual weight of the exterior windows became very important to the design. Clerestory windows are scattered along the tops of most walls to give a heavenly feeling to the interior. For the exterior these windows give the idea of air underneath the wings of a soaring bird.
North Exterior
The clients didn’t want the home to feel like a warehouse or something with a lot of “boring sides” to it. So the sized windows scattered around the exterior gives character to the facade with a single material. The Blackbird is designed to not have a lonely window.
East Exterior
3D House Section
Blackbird Residence Floor Plan
This spralling home was designed for a young artistic family of three. Entertainment was a huge part of the family’s life so the space was designed with room to entertain large groups of people. This also meant that they needed to have multiple rooms for their guests to spend the night. The East wing of the home has two guest rooms and a casida.
The parents wanted a room where they could escape but that wasn’t too far from their daughter’s room. Both rooms are on the west side of the home, with the master suite tucked in the northwest corner. The mother wanted a large closet and “glam room” to house her makeup collection, so next to the walk-in closet is a room with tons of storage and natural light. She also wanted a free-standing tub and lots of light. The master bathroom is large and luxurious with a full glass wall that will allow you to literally be showered in natural light (Don’t worry, it looks onto a totally private courtyard). The father wanted an office that he could work from home in, as well as a large kitchen for his love of cooking, so a double island was implemented in the design.
The parents wanted a room where they could escape but that wasn’t too far from their daughter’s room. Both rooms are on the west side of the home, with the master suite tucked in the northwest corner. The mother wanted a large closet and “glam room” to house her makeup collection, so next to the walk-in closet is a room with tons of storage and natural light. She also wanted a free-standing tub and lots of light. The master bathroom is large and luxurious with a full glass wall that will allow you to literally be showered in natural light (Don’t worry, it looks onto a totally private courtyard). The father wanted an office that he could work from home in, as well as a large kitchen for his love of cooking, so a double island was implemented in the design.
Entrance Atrium
This residence is designed around integrating the exterior into the landscape and the landscape into the interior. The landscape has slipped its way into the home through glass atriums scattered around the house (shown in blue on the floor plan). These atriums frame artistic lava rock formations and beautiful plants that makeup the St. George area. They create opportunities to let natural light, fresh air, and a connection to the earth into the home.
Sitting Room
The family wanted a modern home with an artistic splash. Color was a must for the space, however, they wanted the ability to have the design adapt as their art collection grew. They desired a space that was bright and fun. This sitting room is designed around the idea of having a sunroom without overheating the area. The small windows that cover the exterior wall let in small beams of light that dance around the room throughout the day. Even at night the Zaha Hadid coffee table and red balloon light (Memory PC877 by Brokis) keep the space bright.
Dining Room
The dining room is centered around this glorious MAD Martian Dining Table. This table is a work of art and is indicative of stalactites in a cave. The rest of the space was designed with the idea of being in a cave. The back wall is painted a deep green to mimic the dark walls of a cave, while the light above is inspired from the light warm water above the cave that drips down the rock to form the stalactites.
Taste of the Living Room
Like the song “Blackbird” which has a simple instrumental structure while the mood of the song changes with the speed and intonations of the singer’s voice so does this residence. The design reflects this by having a simple shell while letting pieces of art and furniture change the mood of the space. As you walk through the home color schemes change to reflect the attitude of the room, leading the occupant throughout the space with interest and surprise.
Taste of the Master Bedroom
This space is designed to evoke a relaxed, calming feeling with touches of whimsy. A light neutral palette was used to separate this space from the active house around it. The furnishings vary in texture to give the space interest and to continue the warm comfy feeling.