Red Rock House / Faulkner Architects

Architects: Faulkner Architects
Photographs: Joe Fletcher
Interior Designer: Concept Lighting Lab
Landscape Architects: Hugo Sanchez Paisaje and Vangson Consulting
Structural: CFBR Structural Group
Civil: Shaw Engineering
MEP: Energy-1
Lighting Designer: Concept Lighting Lab
Geotechnical: Geo Tek Residential
Pool: Ozzie Kraft Pools
Principal Architect: Gregory Faulkner, FAIA
Project Architect: Owen Wright
Project Manager: Jenna Shropshire
Architectural Staff Level II: Breanne Penrod
General Contractor: RW Bugbee & Associates
Surveyor: Diamondback Land Surveying
City: Las Vegas
Country: United States

Red Rock House, by Faulkner Architects, is a three-quarter-acre Las Vegas residence with views of the Strip to the east and Red Rock Canyon to the west. Designed for privacy, durability, and climate resilience, the home features a wind-protected courtyard and an elevated water basin reflecting the living space and city skyline. A narrow concrete entry leads to an open-air courtyard with native plantings, blending desert and urban elements. Over half the structure is below grade, using subterranean openings for light and ventilation, some beneath the water basin. Sustainable features include a reflective roof, 45 kW photovoltaic array, and high-efficiency systems. The cantilevered form, clad in weathered steel, balances the sculptural weight of the basin and echoes the region’s geology while shielding the pool from wind and sun.

Situated on a three-quarter-acre parcel with views of the Las Vegas Strip to the east and Red Rock Canyon to the west, the site experiences strong winds, cold dry winters, and extreme summer heat with monsoon rainstorms. The design of the house was shaped by the need for protection from the sun and wind, as well as a focus on durability and privacy, which guided both its formal composition and material choices.

The house reflects the austere nature of the desert through both its materiality and form. A subtractive design approach created a wind-protected courtyard to the east and an elevated water basin, which mirrors the dimensions of the living space. The distant city skyline, reflected on the water’s surface, highlights its ephemeral nature and delicate relationship with water. Entry is through a narrow opening in the concrete mass, where the threshold aligns at eye level with the water, leading into a shaded passage that gently ascends to an open-air entry court. This space is defined by native vertical plantings, establishing a dialogue between the desert landscape and the urban environment.

Locally sourced sand, gravel, and fly ash mix concrete were used for the floors and walls, which, under the harsh desert light, take on a buff hue that visually connects to the distant mountains. The structure extends from below grade, forming a habitable landscape. More than half of the built area is subterranean, incorporating natural ventilation and strategically placed openings to introduce sunlight, with some positioned beneath the water basin. The mass-heavy structure is designed for thermal efficiency, featuring a reflective roof, a 45 kW photovoltaic array, and high-performance glazing, mechanical, and lighting systems to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability.

The upper-level sleeping quarters are enclosed within a screened framework clad in perforated weathering steel, extending along the east-west axis to provide protection from wind and sun while shielding the pool. A south-facing shaded deck, also screened with perforated mesh, extends over the structure, offering shade for both the building and the parking area below. The cantilevered form, oriented toward Red Rock Canyon in the west and the city lights in the east, creates a sculptural balance with the basin and water feature. The ground form, layered in weathered steel, references the geological formations of the Las Vegas Valley and Red Rock Canyon, integrating the structure into its natural desert surroundings.