Hospitality — 2022
Boutique Marfa
Texas
Desert. Horizon. Restraint.
Rooms
12 pavilions
Site
80 hectares
Duration
20 months
Water
100% harvested
Desert minimalism — a hotel woven into the high plains landscape.
The Challenge
The site is an hour from the nearest town, with no mains water or electricity. The desert climate swings from 42°C in summer to below freezing in winter. Every material had to be transported over unpaved roads.
Process
We designed a cluster of twelve pavilions arranged along a central arroyo, each oriented to capture a specific view. Architecture is reduced to its essentials — walls, roof, opening. Colour is eliminated; material and shadow provide all the richness needed.
Materials
Rammed earth walls using soil excavated from the site provide thermal mass. Roofs are steel with deep overhangs for shade. Windows are positioned to capture prevailing breezes, eliminating the need for air conditioning in all but the hottest weeks.
Client
“In a world of hotels trying to impress you with everything, they built one that impresses you with almost nothing. That restraint is the luxury.”
Outcomes
The hotel was fully booked for its first eighteen months. Featured in Conde Nast Traveller and Architectural Digest as one of the world's best new hotels. Guests described the experience as quietly transformative.
Location
Texas
Year
2022
Type
Hospitality
Duration
2020–2022
Next Project
Villa Nocturne
Lake Como — Residential