
Constructing Arizona
Embracing an Architecture of Place in the Sonoran Desert
Chad Schwartz(Author)
Routledge (Publisher)
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 14. July 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
366 pages
978-1-032-86429-7 (ISBN)
Description
Constructing Arizona is the first book to comprehensively present the architecture of the Sonoran Desert region of Arizona, balancing a breadth of projects with a depth of analysis.
Building on over fifty interviews with noted members of the architecture community in Arizona and critical first-hand analysis of their built work, this book reveals the inherent principles, vocabulary, and influences of the regional architecture while also tying its contemporary makeup to a lineage of constructing in the Sonoran Desert. Schwartz argues that the best work of this region is not united by a stylistic or intellectual construct, but, instead, through the architects' development of a variety of relationships between architecture and place. As such, the analysis provided is organized into thematic chapters, each focused on understanding these relationships to the primary characteristics of place: light, heat, water, ground, air, flora and fauna, tradition, spirit, construction, and materiality. The lessons provided, however, extend well past this unique region of the globe as the framework can be applied in any context, allowing Constructing Arizona to serve as a valuable reference guide for thinking about the crafting of an architecture of place, especially in places with rapidly expanding urban conditions in arid environments.
Given the current state of our planet, these lessons will be of critical importance to communities across the globe that may have to adapt to living in similar conditions soon.
Building on over fifty interviews with noted members of the architecture community in Arizona and critical first-hand analysis of their built work, this book reveals the inherent principles, vocabulary, and influences of the regional architecture while also tying its contemporary makeup to a lineage of constructing in the Sonoran Desert. Schwartz argues that the best work of this region is not united by a stylistic or intellectual construct, but, instead, through the architects' development of a variety of relationships between architecture and place. As such, the analysis provided is organized into thematic chapters, each focused on understanding these relationships to the primary characteristics of place: light, heat, water, ground, air, flora and fauna, tradition, spirit, construction, and materiality. The lessons provided, however, extend well past this unique region of the globe as the framework can be applied in any context, allowing Constructing Arizona to serve as a valuable reference guide for thinking about the crafting of an architecture of place, especially in places with rapidly expanding urban conditions in arid environments.
Given the current state of our planet, these lessons will be of critical importance to communities across the globe that may have to adapt to living in similar conditions soon.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Postgraduate, Professional Practice & Development, and Undergraduate Advanced
Illustrations
283 Farbfotos bzw. farbige Rasterbilder, 283 farbige Abbildungen
283 Halftones, color; 283 Illustrations, color
Dimensions
Height: 280 mm
Width: 210 mm
Weight
453 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-032-86429-7 (9781032864297)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Book
approx. 07/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
€191.50
Not yet published

E-Book
approx. 07/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
€55.49
Available for download

E-Book
approx. 07/2026
1st Edition
Routledge
€55.49
Available for download
Person
Chad Schwartz is an architect and educator currently serving as a professor in the School of Architecture at Kansas State University in the US. He teaches both design and building technology, continually seeking to merge these two bodies of knowledge. His current research explores the role of architectural tectonics in the development of both contemporary and historic architecture.
Content
Foreword | Origin Story | by Reed Kroloff | Introduction | 01. Light | 02. Heat | 03. Water | 04. Ground | 05. Air | 06. Flora and Fauna | 07. Tradition | 08. Spirit | 09. Construction | 10. Materiality | Conclusion