Garcia Residence: Teresa Rosano, Assistant Professor of Practice in Architecture

July 2, 2020
Who
Teresa Rosano, Assistant Professor of Practice in Architecture, with Luis Ibarra (Ibarra Rosano Design Architects)
What
Faculty Work | Custom Residence
Where
Tucson, Arizona
When
2001
Categories
The Garcia Home, by Ibarra Rosano Design Architects

The Garcia site is a steep north-facing slope in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains with commanding views of city lights and the surrounding mountains. The challenge for Ibarra Rosano Design Architects and the design team of Teresa Rosano and Luis Ibarra was to design a structure that would appear to grow out of the rocky desert hillside without dominating the landscape. They set the axis of the house parallel with the site contours and created three narrow bays to terrace up the hill, keeping the excavation and fill to a minimum. The terracing platforms contain the three zones of the house: living, circulating and sleeping. They used the middle bay, the entry "gallery", for both circulation and as an extension of the living spaces. It invites the visitor down to the living, dining and kitchen spaces on the lowest platform, while connecting the house to the bedrooms on the upper level. The outstanding city view led Rosano and Ibarra to break the house axis and rotate the main window to frame fantastic views of the Tucson city lights and the Catalina Mountains to the northeast. They introduced south sun to the living spaces by splitting the bedrooms apart, thereby creating a small intimate courtyard with a view up the ridge. The material palette of sandblasted Integra block, steel, birch and concrete is simple, durable and responsive to the desert climate, colors and textures. It is their belief that with good design, extraordinary space can be created with ordinary materials.

Awards

  • Citation Award by AIA Southern Arizona (2008)
  • Citation Award by AIA Arizona (2008)
  • National Concrete Masonry Association "Award of Excellence" (2005)
  • National Custom Home Merit Award (2004)
  • AIA Arizona 2003 "Home of the Year"
  • Architectural Record "House of the Month" August 2003
  • "Best of the Best" for Architecture under 5000 sq ft Nationally (2002)
  • 3 Gold National and Arizona Home Book Awards (2002)
  • AIA Southern Arizona 2002 "Home of the Year"
  • Arizona Masonry Guild "Gold Trowel Award" (2002)

Image Gallery

Click a thumbnail below to view a larger image and begin slideshow:

The Garcia Home, by Ibarra Rosano Design Architects
The Garcia Home, by Ibarra Rosano Design Architects
The Garcia Home, by Ibarra Rosano Design Architects
The Garcia Home, by Ibarra Rosano Design Architects
The Garcia Home, by Ibarra Rosano Design Architects
The Garcia Home, by Ibarra Rosano Design Architects

Learn more about Teresa Rosano on her faculty page.

All images are by Bill Timmerman and may not be used or reproduced without express written permission of Ibarra Rosano Design Architects.

Latest CAPLA News, Projects and Profiles

TUSD Climate Impact Story Cover

CAPLA Planning Faculty, Recent Alumna Study TUSD’s Climate Impact

A report led by Associate Professor Philip Stoker and alumna Alyssa Fink delivers the most comprehensive climate assessment of Tucson Unified School District’s 2024 operations to date. The study establishes a greenhouse gas baseline and outlines strategies to reduce emissions, energy use and costs, supporting the district’s sustainability goals. Sponsored by Jobs With Justice, the project also highlights the impact of student-led, community-based research.

Teresa Rosano and Greg Veitch’s Capstone Studio

Teresa Rosano and Greg Veitch’s Capstone Studio wins ACSA Collaborative Practice Award

Architecture Professor Teresa Rosano, Research Coordinator Greg Veitch, and their students won the 2026 ACSA Collaborative Practice Award for their “Tucson Hope Factory Micro Shelter Village” project. The studio partnered with the community to design and build micro-shelters, emphasizing equal collaboration between students and community members. This approach fostered student agency, teamwork, and meaningful impact. The project was praised for advancing inclusive, community-driven architecture. Rosano and Veitch will present the work at the ACSA conference in Chicago.

See More