The Ranch Mine

Canal House

Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan

CANAL HOUSE

The Ranch Mine

CATEGORY
Houses

LOCATION
Phoenix, United States

ARCHITECTS
The Ranch Mine

GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Boxwell Southwest

PHOTOGRAPHS
Roehner + Ryan

YEAR
2017

AREA
2505 ft²

SITE SIZE
9283 ft2

MANUFACTURERS
Cosentino, Delta Light, Fireclay, Kwikset, Windsor, Pierinelli

Text description provided by architect.

Initially built by native dwellers 2000 years ago and rebuilt for modern society over a century ago are 181 miles of canals that bring water to the desert city of Phoenix, Arizona.

Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan

These canals often go unnoticed, as the city has largely turned their back on these assets until recently.

Canal House is a new home inspired by the forms of the missions in southern Arizona on a left over, irregularly shaped vacant lot along the Arizona Canal.

Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan

The Ranch Mine designed the home to be a beacon, glimmering in the sun with its rusted, corrugated metal roof, drawing focus to the life giving resource slicing through the gridded city.

Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan

Canal House was designed to the furthest extents of the building setbacks, using the geometry of the house to create shade and privacy in a variety of settings.

Similar to the missions of southern Arizona, the design opens out from the interior spaces to courtyards that provide additional living areas at different times of day, depending on the location of the sun.

Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan

The most often shaded area is the dining courtyard along the canal off of the kitchen, with two new Red Push Pistache trees that transition from green to bright red leaves to signal the coming of the cool seasons in Phoenix.

The central courtyard is anchored by a rusted steel clad outdoor fireplace that separates the living wing of the house from the sleeping wing.

Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan

Custom designed steel panels shade the great room doors in the summer with a pattern of the archetypal house form that features prominently on the Canal House elevations.

Lastly, an entry courtyard provides a quiet, contemplative area between the house and the garage.

Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan

On the interior of the house, a rusted steel clad hood draws the eye up to the vaulted, tongue and groove hemlock ceiling in the great room.

The kitchen is highlighted by super durable Dekton countertops, hand-made Fireclay ceramic tile in a herringbone pattern, and a copper farmhouse sink.

Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan

Aluminum clad, wood doors and exposed aggregated concrete floors add texture and warmth to the interior. The master bathroom contains an open shower with a freestanding tub and is finished with a stripe of the hand-made ceramic tile and cabinetry echoing the vaulted ceiling of the great room.

Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan
Canal House
© Roehner + Ryan

This reimagining of the local mission architecture deftly uses simple, durable materials and a unique courtyard focused plan to create a home well-suited for its desert environment while drawing attention back to the lifeblood of Phoenix, the canals.


Canal House
House Section

Canal House
Site Plan


Canal House
North Elevation
Canal House
South Elevation
Canal House
East Elevation
Canal House
West Elevation

The Ranch Mine
T +1 602 5713016
The Ranch Mine
4340 E Indian School Rd Suite 21552, Phoenix, AZ 85018, United States