Alder Home

  • Location

    A modern custom residence in Cave Creek, Arizona

  • Architect

    Eric Spry, Spry Architecture

  • About This Project

    The Alder House is a 4,000-square-foot modern home located in Cave Creek, Arizona, designed by Spry Architecture. Built into a rugged desert hillside, the home offers uninterrupted mountain views to the north, east, and south, fully embracing its elevated Sonoran Desert setting. Woven carefully into the land, the design responds to the site’s topography, solar exposure, and seasonal rhythms. Composed primarily of glass and natural materials, the Alder House is oriented to capture expansive desert views while maintaining a strong visual and sensory connection to the surrounding landscape.

  • Site-Responsive Modern Design

    Large floor-to-ceiling windows provide panoramic views while connecting every interior space to the ever-changing desert light and weather. Deep roof overhangs provide necessary solar protection from the intense Arizona sun and create shaded outdoor living areas, enhancing year-round livability. The home’s modern sustainable features include solar panels integrated directly into the architecture. The photovoltaic system is mounted on an exposed steel frame above the carport, doubling as a functional roof structure — an elegant synthesis of form and function.

  • Materials Rooted in Place

    Inspired by the geology of Cave Creek, the home uses horizontal board-formed concrete to echo the region’s natural stone layering. Exposed charcoal-colored concrete block, sandblasted for texture, evokes the burnt volcanic rock scattered throughout the desert site. These raw, honest materials ground the home in its context, creating an organic modern aesthetic that blends seamlessly with its surroundings.

  • Project Summary

    Design Style: Modern hillside home Sustainability Features: Integrated solar panel system, passive shading, climate-conscious materials Materials: Board-formed concrete, sandblasted concrete block, steel, and glass Size: 4,000 sq ft 4 bedrooms + 4 ½ baths + 3 car garage

  • A True Sonoran Modern Home

    The Alder House is a standout example of Spry Architecture’s commitment to modern, site-specific residential design in Arizona. It demonstrates how thoughtful architecture can respond to the environment, provide sustainable solutions, and deliver elegant, livable spaces in even the most rugged landscapes. For those seeking a modern architect in Phoenix, Scottsdale, or Cave Creek, the Alder House exemplifies what’s possible when contemporary desert design meets client-driven creativity.

  • Rendering Credits

    Stephen SanMarco

  • Video!