Berkey Residence

Phoenix, Arizona
Residential 6,018 SF
Interiors Elizabeth Rosensteel

From a rocky ledge on Camelback Mountain, the home captures dramatic views of the valley below.

The indoor lap pool, a key feature in the owners’ program, is given a prominent position at the entry and works as an “architectural light fixture.” During daytime, glass block lights the master bedroom area by borrowing from skylights over the pool. After sundown, the glass block is back-lit on the master bedroom side and gently illuminates the living room through the pool area.

The brow of the building cantilevers over the windows and protects the recessed planes of glass from direct solar gain in summer. Because the geometry of the home is derived from the land form, the concrete and glass sculpture is like a dramatic outcropping rather than an intrusion into the mountain setting.

Awards + Publications

  • Homes of the Year - AIA Arizona, 1992
  • Merit Award - AIA Arizona, 1991
  • Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine - Feature article, July, 1990
  • Trygliph, Southwestern Journal of Architecture - Featured, 1989