Ball-Paylore House
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Ball-Paylore House | |
 Front (North Elevation | |
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 Interactive map showing the location of Ball-Paylore House | |
| Location | 2306 E. Waverly St., Tucson, Arizona |
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| Area | .34 acres (0.14 ha) |
| Built | 1952 |
| Architect | Arthur Brown |
| Architectural style | Modern |
| Added to NRHP | October 29, 2003 |
The Ball-Paylore House, designed by architect Arthur T. Brown, FAIA, and built in 1952, is an example of post-WWII American architecture in Tucson, Arizona. When built the house was published locally and nationally. Today it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, in the Arizona Register of Historic Places, and designated a City of Tucson Historic Landmark. The property is owned by the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation, available for tours and overnight stays.
Commissioned by two young University of Arizona librarians, Phyllis Ball and Patricia Paylore, the small 1203 sq ft site-specific house was conceived to meet their needs, create a refuge in the desert, and bolster indoor-outdoor livability. Designed by Arthur T. Brown, FAIA, and built by Robert Thomas, the house has become an icon of desert modernism.[1]
Understated and plain from the street, the geometry of the house opens up as you enter the front door. The front facade, with a focus on privacy and minimal ornamentation, is characterized by an angular open carport, mortar-washed brick, and windows set high between the beams at the ceiling. This creates a strong juxtaposition to the interior which is open and expansive with interactive glass window walls blurring the lines between the indoor and outdoor patios and yard.[2] The geometry of the house creates a living room that wraps around the three-sided fireplace and into the kitchen with radiating beams that combine with the glass window walls to create a sense of space greater than the actual dimensions of the rooms.[3]
A unique feature of the house is the aluminum shades over the terrace, designed to move across the semi-circle area and provide a responsive shade solution and giving the facade an expressive appearance.[4]
The built-in casework including bookshelves and desks was designed and built by noted artisan craftsman Jack Kelso of Desert House. The ceilings are paneled with hemlock and the beams and kitchen cabinetry are Douglas fr finished in a driftwood stain.[5]