Portfolio — Desert Clipper House - Winner, Tucson Architectural Home Tour 2006
Desert Clipper started when Chip Rock, a realtor friend of Rae Douglass, informed him of a sweet fixer-upper deal in central Tucson. Rae purchased the house in 1997 while still living in Hawaii. Within three years he started construction on the major addition that accompanied the house. The addition was placed to maximize usable open space and protect the property from the harsh afternoon sun. The plan arranged to allow seamless flow of interior to exterior space with a large outdoor kitchen as its heart. The outdoor kitchen synthesizes the front living space with the back studio. The large cantilever doors that connect the inside spaces to the outside were designed by Rae, are 800 lbs each, but open effortlessly due to lead counterweights and ball bearing pivots. The doors are nine feet wide and are made of recycled heart redwood. The doors maximize airflow as well as creating a sense of continuous space. The use of recycled materials is used throughout the house.