Cinematic Desert Modern: Jill Lewis Architecture’s Palm Springs Retreat

This blog post examines the recently completed Wabi Sabi House at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains in Palm Springs. The house was designed by architect Jill Lewis with landscape architect John Hreno.

The 6,500-square-foot residence uses site-driven geometry and honest material choices. Water-wise landscape strategies reinterpret Palm Springs modernism for a desert environment.

Design and site strategy for a desert edge home

The Wabi Sabi House is an exercise in contextual sensitivity. The two-level, boomerang-shaped plan sits on the lot’s front edge to create a private backyard and frame mountain views.

This approach responds to the topography and microclimate of the half-acre site. The structure is elevated on a three-part concrete foundation that hovers above the landscape, preserving natural arroyos.

The siting maximizes exposure to panoramic views of Palm Springs, the wind farms, and the Santa Jacinto and Santa Rosa ranges. It also protects lower-lying natural drainage corridors.

Form, foundation, and panoramic connections

The house’s boomerang plan is a response to solar orientation, wind patterns, and privacy needs. Floor-to-ceiling glazing and an open plan provide 360-degree vistas and connect the interior to the site.

Placing the mass at the lot’s front preserves a deep, sheltered outdoor area. This outdoor space becomes the main living landscape.

Materiality: honest, durable, and modern

Material decisions at the Wabi Sabi House focus on restraint and durability suited to the desert. The exterior is clad in blackened cypress, with painted steel fascia and glass guardrails that stand out against the mountain backdrop.

Inside, finishes are chosen for longevity and a minimalist look. Key materials include porcelain and concrete floors, oak cabinetry, and honed Portuguese limestone walls.

Tongue-and-groove hemlock ceilings extend outdoors, reinforcing the connection between inside and outside.

Interiors that prioritize connection and craft

Finish choices favor neutral palettes and material honesty over ornamentation. This aligns with the house’s title concept—Wabi Sabi—which celebrates simplicity and the patina of time.

The interior palette works with expansive glazing to highlight the surrounding desert and mountains.

Landscape architecture: restoring ecology with a Japanese sensibility

Landscape architect John Hreno designed Japanese-inspired gardens that serve both aesthetic and ecological purposes. The approach uses locally sourced boulders, native planting, and a rainwater collection system to restore the site’s hydrology and habitat.

Hreno’s strategy divides the grounds into five planting zones that symbolize classical elements. Each zone features species chosen for their desert performance and sculptural qualities.

Plant palette and sustainable systems

The planting palette is intentionally limited and resilient.

These zones embody a symbolic program. They also reduce irrigation needs and support biodiversity.

Jill Lewis and John Hreno’s work on the Wabi Sabi House shows how modernist ideas in Palm Springs can be reimagined using site-first planning and honest materials.

The project highlights ecologically minded landscape design. It offers lessons in foundation strategy, thermal and visual connection, and the value of designing with the desert environment.

 
Here is the source article for this story: ‘It’s this kind of insane moonscape’: Inside a cinematic modern home that disappears into the desert