Los Angeles-based Industry of All Nations (IOAN) has completed a timber residence set against the backdrop of California’s Joshua Tree National Park. According to the team, the building named The Landing House “masterfully blends into the layout, textures, and color palette of its desert canvas.”
“The landscape is harsh, and it can take decades for a plant or tree to recover if displaced from its delicate ecosystem,” says Fernando Gerscovich of IAON about the project. “We were determined to minimize disruptions of the natural landscape, so our design focused on integration that wouldn’t disturb the surrounding plants and natural geography of the land.”
Responding to the many natural features across the five-acre site, which includes Joshua trees and natural boulder formations, the team adopted an approach grounded in “eco-humility,” resulting in a nine-foot-tall structure whose low profile was chosen to minimize the property’s impact on the landscape.
Behind a concealed entrance within a nine-foot-tall wall, the home is divided into two wings centered around an open courtyard. The layout has been shaped to frame views of the Mojave desert while also leading to a plunge pool. Bedroom suites are placed at each end of the home, with one containing a unique round window and the other, titled the Pool Suite, featuring its own private access.
Across the home, a palette of natural materials includes cedar wall paneling and white oak furniture. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors frame views of the desert, while polished concrete floors compliment an external concrete platform that expands towards the home’s plunge pool.
“We also chose very simple, low-maintenance materials, including concrete, cedar, and glass, that will age naturally within the surrounding environment,” Gerscovich adds. “The house still looks new, but we fully expect it to naturally weather and gray in a beautiful way over time.”
Concealed from the courtyard, a sculptural landing pad with yoga mats sets the stage for “Zen moments against the backdrop of a natural rock formation.” Framed by oxidized solid steel, the landing pad is filled with a compacted base of desert soil, further integrating it into the natural landscape.
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