The Phoenix-based founders of The Ranch Mine create sustainable, vibrant and original living experiences in Arizona, to keep the pioneering heritage of their home state alive.

"Honor the past, challenge the norm, and inspire the future." That's the catchphrase Cavin and Claire Costello have been employing since founding their architectural practice in 2010. What makes The Ranch Mine duo unique? Having explored Arizona's history, roots and architectural heritage during a seven-month journey, criss-crossing desert landscapes, rocky mountains, Indian reservations, typical ranches, discovering agricultural production, former mining activities... What they have retained is that eternal "pioneer spirit" present in the American West. "It's still very much alive today in many of us modern pioneers," explains the tandem, " and serves as inspiration to continue traveling into the unknown to create original and diverse life experiences." Their projects reflect this perennial vision, such as the O-asis and White Dates designs. 

For the love of the desert

The first is located on the north side of the Phoenix Mountain Reservation, in the heart of an indigenous neighborhood isolated from urban life. O-asis is a smart, solar-powered home. The founders designed it to capitalize on the timeless beauty of the desert between sun, fauna and flora. The home is surrounded by plants native to Sonora's arid landscape. The topography has been refined and exaggerated, linking the natural drainage areas and the habitat while offering a degree of privacy. The house is also protected by a fence "in the shape of a rattlesnake made of rusted steel and finished in white stucco with recessed wooden niches".


At the heart of the house, a central courtyard adorned with plants, functioning as an art gallery, invites natural light and fresh air to enter. In the living space, retractable glazing channels cool breezes, while blurring the boundaries between inside and outside. The great room features parts made of walnut lined with acoustic felt, allowing the owner, a music-loving pianist, to enjoy quality acoustics. Nearby, a cork-floored yoga shala extends out into the desert. As for the master suite, it is limited to the size of the bedroom bed to make better use of the space for the spa-inspired bathroom. All installations (lights, speakers, blinds, locks, cameras) can be controlled remotely, and a swimming pool completes the beauty of this peaceful Arizonian oasis.

Make way for mid-century modern

The second is a renovation of the White Gates, an iconic Phoenix villa designed by Al Beadle in 1954 and vacant for many years. The architects had the challenge of both honoring the heritage and adding a new chapter. The house is named White Dates, after a play about this architectural icon and its white doors. Here, the duo draw on the modern mid-century style, notably with the date palm planted in the middle of the triangular awning, a reference to the entrance to Albert Frey's legendary City Hall in Palm Springs. 


The interior design was determined by the view of the legendary Camelback Mountain. The great room, with its glass doors, opens onto different patios for harmonious indoor and outdoor living. The one at the front of the house is the closest to the modern mid-century, with its cinderblocks masking the road and narrowing the view of the mountain. As for the interior design, the architects used the date palm leaf motif, while keeping the palette sober (concrete floors, plaster in the bathroom, walnut and white oak for the furniture) for a true symbiosis with the ancestral desert environment.

Nathalie Dassa

theranchmine.com

United States - Arizona