STILL HOUSE

A small wellness studio on the high desert. The atelier asked how the materials of a spa change when a building belongs to its place: rammed earth in place of tile, white oak in place of stone, and daylight wherever the plan allows it.

Load-bearing rammed earth walls, two feet thick, carry glulam beams and a white oak ceiling. A continuous north clerestory lights the movement room without glare. The plunge court is open to the sky, walled on three sides, with a cedar sauna forming the fourth.

Warmth without ornament. Every surface is a real material at its true thickness, and daylight carries the atmosphere that finishes usually provide.

Thick walls, soft light, and a plan that can be understood at a glance. A place of stillness from the moment you arrive.