The Los Angeles-based architecture firm Zyme Studios is developing an unusual residential project in the heart of the Mojave Desert in California.
This design, currently being finalized, is a fine example of what Zyme Studios founders Cody and Kaylin Hall can produce as they seek to address the challenges of contemporary paradigms. While their approach often prioritizes this quest for inventive space, it also leans towards metaphysics and the in-between, in a blend of physical function and experiential qualities. (280 m²)2The Oscillation House is a prime example. The intention of this architectural creation is to demonstrate how it can blend harmoniously into its natural surroundings, particularly in a desert region of the American West known for its pristine rock formations. The structure thus presents itself as a massive presence, illustrating the importance of the landscape in relation to the human scale. Its triangular and angular forms take advantage of natural elements, while the shapes and voids used play with forced perspectives.
sustainable and passive system
Oscillation House features four bedrooms and five bathrooms. At the entrance, the architects created openings that frame the space to further reduce compression, offering depth, views, and cross ventilation. The overhangs and thick, solid walls, which mimic the surrounding rocks, passively regulate the interiors through blackout blinds and thermal heating and cooling. Similarly, the terrain, shaped by wind, rain, and the extreme climate, also provides passive cooling at night. The elongated swimming pool reinforces this system through evaporation in the courtyard, further enhanced by the cross ventilation provided by the various movable windows. With its creamy tones, Oscillation House fully embraces the unique characteristics of the Yucca Valley region, offering a sustainable and energy-efficient living space that blends seamlessly into the landscape.
