BENTLEY HOUSE

The Bentley residence occupies a triangular site in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The design program required the house to have privacy while paradoxically taking advantage of the spectacular views of the City to the west.  Because of the site’s difficult shape and steep topography, the 2,300 square foot house had to be carefully fitted into place.

 

The design solution organizes the house on a curve that follows the street. This subtle curve is bisected by an intersecting street axis that terminates at the house, separating the public living / dining area from the private sleeping / bathing area on the main level and the sleeping rooms from the garage on the lower level. This intersection is punctuated by a vertical stair tower that connects the lower level with a roof terrace and fixes the house on the site. The west facing living room terrace is protected from the harsh sun by a brise-soleil, shading device, that provides privacy and shading while allowing a panorama of the city.