Sharp House

The Sharp House, from March Thorpe Design, is a minimalist masterpiece smack dab in the middle of the desert. Developed for a retired couple from New York City, it’s infused with tastefully subtle interiors serving as a sharp contrast to the frenzied NYC lifestyle.

The house sits in five acres of land somewhere in the picturesquely brutal northern Santa Fe, New Mexico. MTD wanted to be as economical as possible when it came to construction. As a result, they went with exposed cast and concrete for the structure. Come to the northern and southern parts and you’ll find full height glass apertures to invite solar gain and efficient cross ventilation.

The interior, at 2,000 square feet, is a spacious, arresting reprieve from the outside heat. There are two bedrooms, dining, kitchen, and living areas, plus a bathroom. Toward west you’ll find an integrated ladder that leads to the roof for phenomenal views day through night. It’s New Mexico, so this should come as no surprise. The state has some of the most scenic natural wonders in the country.

Never mind its neo-brutalist atmosphere being a bit too complementary to the brutalism of its location. The skilled integration of materials with geometrical elements sufficiently makes up for that on-the-nose element. That’s no share to MTD, by the way. The Sharp House remains a fine example of refined design. It stands to accommodate the interplay of space, light, shadows, and shade. It’s a meditation of geography, too, and how architecture can play a role in it. See more below.