Cuadro

||||||||||||||||||||||| CASITA SANTA ROSA ||||||||||||||||||||||||

Project Team -
Design - Sharayah Jimenez | CUADRO
Build - Jose Martinez | Solid Foundation LLC
Owner/Interior Styling - Hannah Levin
Photography - Julius Schlosburg

Located in Barrio Santa Rosa, this custom casita is designed to seamlessly blend interior and exterior spaces - creating an oasis in an urban environment. Each space relates to the cardinal directions and utilizes traditional forms of Southwestern architecture in a modern way.

North – Shaded carport and bedroom take advantage of indirect light.

South – Shallow wraparound porch protects the primary bedroom and living areas but also allows for winter sun.

East – Screened Arizona Room shades the bedroom and living areas but also extends the livable space of the home.

West – Wraparound porch and outdoor bathroom shade the walls from the harsh western exposure but also provide framed views of A-mountain and the desert sky.

Sky – An exterior stair leads the habitants upwards from the Arizona Room to a rooftop deck that offers a panoramic view of the urban and mountain skylines.

Ground – All roof forms and patio areas slope towards the earth collecting in basins that will sustain a desert garden.

Every space was carefully composed to maximize a small footprint and create opportunities for indoor/outdoor living that extends the floor area of the space but also preserves and expands the mountain views that the new build would have otherwise blocked.
None of this would have been possible without an amazing team, beginning of course with Hannah and Al. From the first moment of meeting, it was clear that these two creatives were going to want something special. And although the timing and life events that unfolded made this project seem like an insurmountable challenge, the build team pressed forward and delivered an amazing project.

Tlazocamati.

|||||| THE FEASIBILITY STUDY |||||| One of the keys to growing CUADRO has been leaning into an awesome Tucson friend and family network. Two of the first friends to support were Jason & Favi , who were having a tough time deciding what to do with their property. They had R-2 zoning with a small, existing, historic casita on site, but had outgrown the home. They were considering a large remodel to add needed space, but were also interested in looking at options for a larger, detached secondary dwelling behind the existing casita. They wanted to explore the options before deciding whether to stay and invest more money in their property, or sell and look for something already built. This type of exploration is called a feasibility study and it can be a very powerful tool when considering the options for asset management; it's a quicker, easier option before committing to fully executed construction drawings. Do I go? Do I stay? What are the options for a remodel or a new build? And how will these changes fit into the existing neighborhood fabric? These are questions that are more easily answered when visualized through architectural plans and renderings. Although the family ultimately decided to sell, it still felt good to know that all of the options had been considered, and it was awesome getting to work alongside friends in the process! If you're finding yourself in a similar situation and aren't sure of what's possible, a feasibility study may be a helpful first step, DM if you're ready to begin the design journey!

---TONIGHT!---
This event is happening later this evening. Super excited to be presenting alongside Alisha and Lane , two close friends, comrades and overall chingon@s en la lucha. Alisha will be sharing her experiences as director of the Mexican American Museum in Tucson, remembering our past and where we are headed. I will be sharing about my journey in architecture, launching a start-up design business, and getting involved in affordable housing policy initiatives locally. Lane will be closing us out with her story as an elected, her passion and projects at Ward 1 and what answering the call could look like for all of us.