Architecture Wednesday: The J2 Residence

Two things: it looks like it has a giant airplane wing hovering over it, and it's in Vegas. Not exactly my type, though there is one room that completely sells me on this one and we'll show that it a moment.

First, this home, the J2 residence, is located in the master planned development of Summerlin, along the western edge of Las Vegas at the base of Red Rock, so it's got spectacular desert credentials, and I do like me some desert views.

The idea, though, for Summerlin, is to “design individuality, horizontally and sensitivity to the desert hillside environment” and the architects did just that with J2, by combing an appreciation of the desert environment through the choice of materials, environmental orientations, sunlight orientation, landscaping and use of renewable energy sources.

And, being in Las Vegas, of course it's an indoor/outdoor home, with views to the golf course and the adjacent foothills. Every room, from the great room, dining room, library, and casita has views to the desert as well as the inner courtyard and pool. Even the basement bar and game room area connects to the outside through a courtyard which admits daylight into the space.

Add to that the home provides a large percent of its own power consumption through Photovoltaic Modules placed on the wing canopy, which was designed to eliminate direct sunlight from entering into the residence during the hottest seasons while allowing maximum visibility to the south. Rammed earth construction creates a thermal mass to mitigate the extreme fluctuations in day and nighttime temperatures.

It's open and airy and modern, and a little Pan Am kooky, but, here's the selling point for me: a fully glassed-in, room-seized wine cellar.

What happens in the wine room stays in the wine room!

As always, click to emBIGGERate.

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