What may seem like a mirage to thirsty, wandering desert hikers is real: on the edge of the Las Vegas Valley, far away from casinos, wedding chapels and Elvis impersonators, lies Fort 137, a luxurious residence with a view of Red Rock Canyon. Flat, spacious and open, the building blends seamlessly into the eternal desert.
“Vegas, baby!”, the family must have thought when they commissioned their Fort 137. And they weren’t referring to the dazzling Las Vegas Strip, but to the desert for which the state of Nevada is also known. The design was inspired by settlements from the early 19th century, which once dominated the desert landscape of the Las Vegas Valley and were reminiscent of fortresses. The round entrance in particular pays homage to such a fortress. The rest nestles into the desert: Flat and with numerous open structures, the transition from desert to residential oasis is smooth.
A 75-ton boulder excavated from the property sits enthroned in the shaded courtyard. Fort 137 is not only a perfectly integrated comfort zone and a contemporary fortress in the desert valley, but was also built with limited environmental impact. There is a photovoltaic system and a reconstructed wood veneer made from the by-products and waste of a sawmill. It was built with locally sourced materials and stone and earth quarried from the site and cleverly reused.
Fort 137
Team: Daniel Joseph Chenin, Eric Weeks, Kevin Welch, Esther Chung, Jose Ruiz, Grace Ko, Alberto Sanchez, Debra Ackermann, Julie Nelson
Contractor: Forté Specialty Contractors
Civil Engineer: McCay Engineering
Landscape Architecture: Vangson Consulting, LLC
Structural Engineering: Vector Structural Engineering
Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing: Engineering Partners, Inc.
Pool & Water: Ozzie Kraft Custom Pools
Woodwork Design: Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd.
Furnishings and Accessories: Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd.
Art Consulting: Daniel Fine Art Services
You can see more of this unique desert fortress here.
Photos: Daniel Joseph Chenin, Stephen Morgan, Stetson Ybarra
Out of the desert and further west: the Mal Paso Residence is located directly on the Pacific Ocean and is just as secluded as Fort 137.
