Dezeen Magazine

Volcanic terrain informs design of Noir Peaks house by The Ranch Mine

US architecture studio The Ranch Mine has completed a holiday home in northern Arizona consisting of black, gabled forms that "burst vertically from the ground".

Rising up from a grassy, high-altitude plateau, the Noir Peaks house is located in the northern Arizona town of Flagstaff, known for its mountains, aspen stands and pine forests.

The area sits within a vast volcanic field, where the last eruption occurred about 1,000 years ago.

Noir Peaks house by The Ranch Mine
Volcanic terrain shaped the design of Noir Peaks house

Emerging from "the harsh yet beautiful landscape", the vacation home has a form and materiality influenced by the surrounding terrain, said Phoenix-based architectural studio, The Ranch Mine.

Situated on a two-acre (0.8-hectare) site, the home comprises a cluster of gabled forms, which sit atop a two-foot-high concrete base.

Dark-coloured gabled house
The home comprises a cluster of gabled forms

"Three gabled forms burst vertically from the ground to form the massing of the home, echoing the volcanic mountains dotting the plateau," the team said.

Exterior walls are clad in fibre-cement, board-and-batten siding, painted to match the lava rocks that dot the site.

Neutral-hued living room of Noir Peaks
Noir Peaks features multiple communal spaces

The battens' spacing is intentionally varied to evoke the scattered positioning of nearby aspen trees.

"We wanted to use a simple, cost-effective material that could hold up to the harsh environment but elevate the look by doing a unique batten pattern," the team said. "The house was built very economically."

Open-plan kitchen
These include an open-plan kitchen

Encompassing 2,405 square feet (223 square metres), the home holds communal spaces, a primary suite, three bedrooms, a mudroom, a laundry room and a spacious garage.

The layout prioritises views of the San Francisco Peaks, and rooms feature neutral colours and earthy materials such as wood and stone.

Tongue-and-groove hemlock, for instance, was used to clad ceilings in the great room and primary bedroom. Fireplaces are faced with Texas Crème limestone.

Overall, the interior atmosphere is meant to feel cosy and restful.

Limestone fireplace by The Ranch Mine
Fireplaces were faced with Texas Crème limestone

"The interiors were inspired by the Danish concept of hygge – creating a refuge to recover, rest, reflect and re-energize before heading out on the next adventure," the team said.

"Radiant heated concrete floors run throughout the house for a cosy daily sensation in the winter months," the team added.

Gabled one-storey home with expansive views
The Ranch Mine took cues from hygge principles when creating the holiday home

The Ranch Mine has completed a range of projects in Arizona, including a low-slung, minimalist house in Paradise Valley and a series of Phoenix townhomes clad in brick, stucco and weathering steel.

The photography is by Roehner + Ryan.


Project credits:

Architect: The Ranch Mine
Interiors (furnitures, fixtures and equipment): Studio V
Builder: J Rio Management LLC

More images and plans

Site plan
Site plan
Noir Peaks by The Ranch Mine
Noir Peaks by The Ranch Mine
Noir Peaks by The Ranch Mine
Noir Peaks by The Ranch Mine
Noir Peaks by The Ranch Mine
Noir Peaks by The Ranch Mine
Noir Peaks by The Ranch Mine
Noir Peaks by The Ranch Mine
Noir Peaks by The Ranch Mine
Noir Peaks by The Ranch Mine