SONORA RESIDENCE

Site and Residence

Rancho Mirage, California

This was a long, shallow, and steep lot that required a retaining wall along its entire length in order to create a buildable pad that satisfied local regulations and that preserved the panoramic views of the valley.   With the retaining wall in place, the lot became an even longer and thinner wedge - a long, thin triangle.   The program also required parking for six cars.  The solution was to run the sloping driveway across the front of the house to the fattest and non-view side of the lot, where the six-car motor court could be discretely tucked away.  Playing on the triangular shape for the design of the 5000 square foot house, a wing was created at the end for a covered patio, reaching out to the adjacent mountain. 

A wedge-shaped infinity-edge swimming pool overlooks the city-lights view.