Franklin Mountain House, El Paso, Texas Property, American Residential Building, USA Design, Architecture Images
Franklin Mountain House in El Paso
Contemporary Home in Texas, United States of America – design by hazelbaker rush, Architects
Mar 29, 2017
Franklin Mountain House
Architects: hazelbaker rush
Location: foothills of Franklin Mountains, north side of El Paso, Texas, USA
Franklin Mountain House

The Franklin Mountains extend into the north end of El Paso like a peninsula of rocky wilderness into the urban landscape of the city, rising 2500 feet above the Rio Grande river valley. The home site is set in the foothills of the Franklins 800 feet above the city perched just above a small canyon with unobstructed views of downtown El Paso and Juarez to the south.
As the raw and rugged native landscape comes down the slope and meets the masses of the house the land starts to feel more controlled and cultivated. The steep site becomes a series of terraces that catch and slows the flow of water and the flow of life here. This mountain side oasis becomes enriched with native succulents and cacti, colorful grasses and aromatic herbs. A sustainable ecosystem on a small scale for a family that has turned a ?hard? site into their sanctuary on the hillside.

The severity of the slope allows the three story home to maintain a direct connection to the exterior at each level. The utilitarian spaces are on the first level with the entertaining functions of the living, ki...