Rick Joy's terrarium-like Desert Nomad House consists of 3 rusted steel cubes set among a field of towering Saguaro cacti at the base of Arizona's Tucson Mountains. The three buildings of varying sizes make up less than 1,500 square feet combined and each have their own bathroom. There are also two bedrooms, a study, and a kitchen and dining area - all of which have breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. Step into our gallery for a look at a gorgeous set of images that will transport you straight to the magnificent Sonoran desert.
The living, kitchen and dining cube is 780 square feet, the bedroom is 440 square feet, and the office is 200 square feet; each unit faces in a different direction and boasts floor to ceiling 1/2 inch thick glass windows that keep the home insulated while also establishing a keen intimacy with nature.
More art than architecture, the Desert Nomad House is a minimalist structure furnished with simple materials. The flooring is made of maple wood (as it was built more than 6 years ago, we’re not certain whether it was sustainably sourced) and the interior panels of maple veneer. A gas stove rounds out the home’s energy efficiency, and a sunken fire pit outside gives it a final rustic touch. There’s just one caveat: last year this extraordinary piece of real estate was listed for $975,000 – almost triple what it originally cost to build!
