We were excited to have the chance to speak with DUST when we lectured at U of Arizona a few months ago. The project for a villa in Tucson that DUST shared with ArchDaily in 2009 gained a lot of attention before it was even built--particularly for its use of a traditional construction system (rammed earth) and a bold material palette. The large walls act as thermal masses but are, most importantly, part of a system that is deeply connected to the site.
We wanted to talk with principal Jesús Robles (who founded DUST with Cade Hayes) to find out more about DUST's latest work, especially since they know how to design and build with a very low impact, allowing them to be hands-on and innovative in terms of materials. For the interview, DUST brought us to the remote stretch of land in the San Rafael valley where they have been working on their latest project, Casa Caldera. You can see the progress of this house made of scoria here.
