“The respect for natural materials, craft, and traditional materials comes across in the design of this beautifully scaled addition to an existing adobe home. You can imagine the coolness inside contributed by the massing of the walls. There are many important climate impact lessons here.”
— Monica Chadha, AIA
Location Marfa
Architect DUST Architects
Design Team Cade Hayes, AIA, Jesus Edmundo Robles, Assoc. AIA
Contractor E&C Construction
Surveyor Walker Land Surveying
Plumbing T Plumbing
Structural Engineer Dan Ray
The Marfa Suite is a lounge, studio, and living refuge for its owners to use while guests occupy their home during extended stays. Made primarily from compressed earth block in a nod to vernacular adobe structures and the owners’ existing home, the project is sited to preserve viewsheds and established desert gardens. Approximately 36 feet by 36 feet in plan with 16-foot-high perimeter walls, the suite features interior partition walls made of the same earthen material. A small vestibule provides a visually private entry from the main house, and large sliding doors on the east connect the living and lounge space to the landscape beyond.