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We were given the opportunity to name the road that leads to the Burnside residence, which sits on a 25-acre property. We named it “Sendero de Luz”, or “Path of Light” – an apt description of the underlying theme of the house. Its orientation on the ridge, the nature of the fenestration, the rooms wrapped around an open courtyard – all were determined with this idea of light being a form-defining element. The square two-foot thick stone courtyard wall with thin skylights surrounding it, oriented to the cardinal directions, is the element that most reveals the building’s connection to the arc of the sun. The overall organization is complemented with an aesthetic that takes the typical Santa Fe style architecture and integrates a lean almost Zen-like simplicity to the range of materials and details. European beech is used as the only wood species, from floors and doors to veneer cabinetry with ebony striped inlay that is accentuated with sandblasted glass cabinet doors. Large rough boulders in the landscape give way to tightly fit stone veneer on the walls of the courtyard within which are steps made from Mexican cobblestone. As one enters the house, the floor transitions to the feel of honed Spanish and Portuguese limestone tile floors. Kirkstone, slate and polished granite counter tops complete the range of refined stone in the house. Pure geometric forms established the plan, the use of authentic materials set the tone and nature was abstracted to highlight and contrast the house. An important aspect of nature is light and in New Mexico, at this site, the clarity of that light plays across natural materials, celebrating the restrained expression of craftsmanship. The home becomes a stone vessel of light.

Project Details

Date of Completion: November 2002 Builder: McDowell Construction Interior Designer: Putnam Pritchard Interiors Building Footprint: 7,533 sq ft Gross heated space: 6,440 sq ft Program A 6,400 square foot, 4-bedroom residence with a courtyard parti employing generous connections to exterior defined rooms (courtyards, terraces and gardens) while at the same time bringing generous amounts of natural light into the building. The owner’s desire was for a rich palette of materials, yet still expressing simplicity. Major Materials and Systems ICF (Insulated Concrete Form) perimeter, wood frame interior walls, reclaimed wood beams, radiant heat, refrigerated air, vinyl fabric canopies, stucco exterior, pigmented plaster interior, stone veneer courtyard walls, Hopes steel windows and exterior doors. Due to the desert locale, all roof run-off is collected in buried cisterns that in turn are used for landscape water requirements. Site Features The property is a wedge shaped, steeply sloped 25-acre site in a rural setting. The house sits on the upper portion of the property along a ridgeline with panoramic views to the south and west and framed views to the north and east. Site context The property is surrounded on two sides by the Santa Fe National Forest and is elevated above surrounding homes to the south and west. Further beyond the immediate context are views to the Sangre de Christo Mountains to the east and north, the Jemez Mountains at the western horizon and the Sandia Mountains farther to the south.

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