Lake Flato Architects has created a cool respite from the sun-drenched desert grasslands of far west Texas.

The project borrows from the area's earliest structures and is organised around a courtyard shaded by the dappled light of native mesquite trees with a small fount of collected rainwater.

To keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter, the structure is built of two-foot-thick walls of rammed earth. The house embraces the expansive landscape with lightweight breezeways and porches made of recycled oil field pipe. Situated on a low rise with dramatic views in each direction, it cuts a low profile, settling naturally into the desert.

This project has been longlisted in the rural house category of Dezeen Awards 2022.

Architect: Lake Flato Architects

Project: Marfa Ranch

Read more: Lake Flato Architects