The July/August issue of Dwell brings us this beautiful desert home in Pioneertown, California (not too far from Three Junipers, actually). The home was designed by architect Lloyd Russell for Jim Austin, an entrepreneur who wanted something simple. The functional home of 1,600 square feet is what Austin calls, “the ultimate desert structure.” It’s built with recycled and durable materials, as well as a prominent steel canopy that shelters and shades the home.

In the desert, there’s wind and sun, and the canopy is an obvious solution to use both elements to keep the temperature down inside the house. When the sun hits the canopy, some of that heat is reflected back into the sky while the rest is absorbed by the canopy. And since there’s a wind buffer, the design creates a cooling mechanism to keep the house relatively shaded and cool.

Jim Austin's home sits on a ten-acre parcel of land called Rimrock Ranch. With a modest combination of windows, weathered steel, and concrete, it seems to suit the desert perfectly. The roll up garage-style door is a nice touch, too. These are showing up all over the place (see Logical Homes and Buzz Lofts).

[+] Operation Desert Shed by Dwell.

Photo credits: David Harrison; illustration: Dwell.