Architect-Builder · Tucson, AZ
Studio Rick Joy
Sonoran Desert houses from architect Rick Joy, a National Design Award winner
Priced on request
Price Range
Architect-Builder
Builder Tier
1993
Founded
4
Areas Served
About Studio Rick Joy
Studio Rick Joy, formerly Rick Joy Architects, is a Tucson practice in architecture, planning and interiors that Rick Joy has led since 1993. Joy, originally from Maine, came to Tucson to study architecture at the University of Arizona. His honors include the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Architecture (2002), the National Design Award from the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt museum (2004), and fellowships of the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Institute of British Architects (2015).
Its Southern Arizona houses include the Catalina House (1998), with a rough rammed-earth shell; the Tubac House (2000), in rough steel; the Tucson Mountain House (2001), with massive earthen walls; the Adobe Canyon House in Patagonia (2005); the steel-clad Desert Nomad House in Tucson (2006); and the Ventana Canyon Residence (2008), high in the Catalina Foothills. Several have won Architectural Record's Record Houses award, and the studio has published two monographs, Desert Works (Princeton Architectural Press, 2002) and Studio Joy Works (2018). Its work also includes the Amangiri and One&Only Mandarina resorts and the Princeton Transit Hall and Market.
Engaging Studio Rick Joy is a different decision from hiring a builder: you are commissioning architecture, from a studio that speaks of "cherishing each site's spirit". It does not publish fees, costs or timelines, so each project starts with a conversation with the studio.
Why Choose Studio Rick Joy
- National Design Award (Cooper-Hewitt, 2004) and several Record Houses awards
- Houses of rammed earth, steel and glass, set into the Sonoran Desert
- Architecture, planning and interiors from one Tucson studio
- Two monographs: Desert Works (2002) and Studio Joy Works (2018)
Areas Served
- Tucson
- Catalina Foothills
- Tubac
- Patagonia
Notable Work
Signature Projects
- Desert Nomad House — Tucson, 2006
- Tubac House — Tubac, 2000
- Ventana Canyon Residence — Catalina Foothills, 2008
- Tucson Mountain House — Tucson, 2001
- Catalina House — Tucson, 1998
- Adobe Canyon House — Patagonia, 2005
Awards & Recognition
- National Design Award, Cooper-Hewitt, 2004
- American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Architecture, 2002
- Architectural Record Houses awards, incl. Tubac, Desert Nomad and Ventana Canyon
- AIA Arizona Honor Awards, 2001
Buyer's Notes
Working With Studio Rick Joy
A Studio Rick Joy commission starts with a conversation, not a contract — and with the land: the studio describes its architecture as responding to each site. Tucson Experts can help identify a lot that deserves that kind of architectural attention and prepare a brief before the introduction.
Frequently Asked
Studio Rick Joy FAQs
Is Studio Rick Joy an architect or a builder?+
An architect. Studio Rick Joy, formerly Rick Joy Architects, describes its work as architecture, planning and interiors, and its team is architects, designers and project managers. Ask the studio how construction would be contracted on your project.
How much does a Rick Joy house cost?+
The studio does not publish fees or construction costs. A custom house's cost depends on its site, its size and its materials — the studio's Southern Arizona houses use rammed earth, steel and large walls of glass — so ask the studio about your project.
Has Rick Joy designed houses around Tucson?+
Yes. The studio's published work includes the Catalina House, Tucson Mountain House, Desert Nomad House and Ventana Canyon Residence in Tucson, the Tubac House in Tubac and the Adobe Canyon House in Patagonia, alongside work elsewhere — the Amangiri resort, One&Only Mandarina and the Princeton Transit Hall and Market. Whether it can take on a new commission is a question for the studio.
What lots suit a Rick Joy design?+
The studio's Southern Arizona houses sit on sites with strong character: a secluded desert bowl (Desert Nomad House), a valley between ridges (Tucson Mountain House), a Catalina Foothills hillside overlooking the city (Ventana Canyon Residence). A lot with views, topography or desert to design around is the natural starting point for a conversation with the studio.
Tour Studio Rick Joy With Buyer Representation
The on-site sales agent works for the builder. Tucson Experts works for you through site selection, contract review, design-center upgrades, and final walkthrough. Builders in Tucson usually pay the buyer's agent's commission, and the written agreement you sign with us sets our pay; we go over it before your first visit, so you know what, if anything, you'd owe.