Meet Eric Spry, AIA
Founder & Principal Architect guiding site-responsive modern residential architecture across the American Southwest.
“Architecture is not imposed upon the desert; it emerges from the rhythm of its sunlight and stone.”
Eric Spry is the founder of Spry Architecture, a Phoenix-based firm specializing in modern custom homes throughout Arizona. His architectural career spans more than four decades, beginning at age fifteen when he designed his first award-winning home.
In 1992, Eric moved from Michigan to Carefree, Arizona, where he began working with architect Charles Foreman Johnson. He later spent six years working alongside Arizona AIA Gold Medal recipient Gordon Rogers, who became both a mentor and close friend. During those years, Eric contributed to several award-winning residences, including the Jacobs, Naporano, and Ackerman homes, each recognized as an Arizona AIA Home of the Year.
In 2004, he established Spry Architecture to pursue an independent architectural vision centered on modern residential design and a more personal collaboration with clients.
Eric's creative interests extend beyond architecture into fine-art photography and writing. As an award-winning photographer and published writer, he explores many of the same qualities that inform his buildings: light, proportion, texture, composition, and the subtle relationships that give places their character.
His architectural work has been recognized through awards, publications, and television features, including Phoenix Home & Garden, Architectural Digest, and HGTV.
For Eric, the most rewarding part of architecture remains the process of discovery—finding the particular design that belongs to both the people who will live in a home and the land on which it stands.
When we were introduced to Eric Spry, we had no idea how fortunate we were. One of our favorite lines from Eric is how ‘every detail is a unique note in the overall composition’.
Dialogue With The Desert: The Architectural Process
Explore Eric Spry’s design methodology, from raw Sonoran topography to the crafting of the Ridgeview Place Estate in Carefree, Arizona.

Architectural Insights & On-Site Dialogues
Explore site tours and design reflections from Eric Spry discussing spatial proportions, natural light, and structural harmony.
PodcastModern Home Mastermind: Eric Spry on Timeless Desert Modern Design
Principal architect Eric Spry joins the Modern Home Mastermind podcast to discuss desert modernism, client-led architecture, and navigating Arizona topography.
8:15Touring a Minimalist Modern Phoenix Home
Step inside a desert contemporary residence with architect Eric Spry exploring site lines and passive design.
1:45Spry Arch — Style
Reflections on regional contemporary aesthetics and finding architectural identity in the desert.
2:10Spry Arch — Authenticity
Designing spaces true to raw materials, native terrain, and the client’s authentic lifestyle.
Accolades & Architectural Awards
Distinctions and honors awarded by regional and national architectural authorities, including the AIA, Luxe Interiors + Design, and PCBC.
Inspired Modern Living
Phoenix Home and Garden “Chaten Home”
Dream Homes
Best Residential Architects in Arizona
Best of Houzz Design and Service (17-Time Winner)
Best Residential Firm - Arizona
Phoenix Home and Garden "Out of the Ashes"
The 15 Best Architects in Phoenix
Published Articles on Houzz
Architectural essays authored by Eric Spry exploring design methodology, material authenticity, and desert contemporary aesthetics.
Architecture Theory Have It Your Way — What Makes Architecture Successful
An exploration of architectural intentionality, client collaboration, and what defines timeless spatial success in custom residential design.
Design Philosophy Simplicity vs. Simpleness in Architecture — and Why You Should Care
Distinguishing between reductionist minimalism and nuanced, high-craft architectural simplicity that celebrates desert textures and natural illumination.
Regional Modernism Discover Modern Architecture's Appeal
How progressive structural cantilevers, expansive glazing, and deep thermal eaves create serene, climate-attuned living environments.
Aesthetic Theory Beauty Goes Beyond the Eye of the Beholder
A deep dive into how proportion, daylight, and physical materiality evoke subconscious emotional resonance in residential architecture.