PHOENIX HOME & GARDEN: THE MAGAZINE OF SOUTHWEST LIVING Masters of the Southwest March 2006 Get to know Ron Robinette, and celebrate his talent, on the pages ahead.
MASTER OF THE SOUTHWEST 2006/ARCHITECT: RON ROBINETTE Desert Architect Ron Robinette designs distinctive homes that salute their surroundings The father of three young men in their early 20s, Ron Robinette says he wouldn t be surprised if they were to switch career paths a number of times. If they re like me, they probably will change, laughs the award-winning Tucson architect. Initially, I studied music on scholarship at the University of Arizona. And then I decided to become a doctor and did pre-med, majoring in chemistry, but I didn t enjoy that. How did this Master of the Southwest decide to become an architect? My best friend s older brother was studying architecture and was always making these cool models of buildings, he admits. Robinette saw them and was hooked. I didn t really know what architects do, to be honest. Robinette, 49, earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree at the University of Arizona, has worked more than 26 years in his chosen field of residential architecture 22 of those years as owner of his own firm, Robinette Architects Inc. and remains as excited about his profession now as when he first started out. He has garnered praise for designing finely detailed high-end homes that are both beautiful and respectful of the desert environment. Designwise, he says, this translates into fashioning residences with a strong connection of interior and exterior spaces homes that exude a sense of permanence, that respond to Arizona s harsh sunlight and temperature extremes, and that disturb the natural desert as little as possible. These are the homes that fit into the environment the best. Interior designer Lori Carroll has worked with Robinette on numerous projects. His insight into the distinct character of each site leads him to create structures that blend flawlessly amid the surrounding TEXT BY ROBERTA LANDMAN PORTRAIT BY DAVID FENTON 224 PHOENIX HOME & GARDEN MARCH 2006
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Above: The owners of this haciendalike residence with central courtyard and pool asked Ron Robinette to design their home using the Spanish Colonial-style Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix as inspiration. Opposite: The architect employed this angular copper architectural feature to define the outdoor entry of a Contemporary home and frame its desert view. Clients go to Ron because they are after something really special landscape, she notes. And that is one of the architect s prime objectives in designing a range of homes, including Contemporary, Southwestern, Old World, Spanish Colonial, Tuscan, and a Tucson style reminiscent of the Arizona Inn, he says. Robinette, married to wife Sharon for 26 years, looks back at his youth in Tucson. As a child with allergies, I was indoors a lot and I drew. I guess I was always drawing floor plans, he recalls. I also spent hour after hour building things with Legos, Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs. When he was outdoors, he remembers, I was making little mock cities in our back yard. The house that went along with that back yard was nothing like the upscale homes he now designs. I grew up in a modest, classic, low-slung Ranch-style home, Robinette says. The neighborhood was built on the east side of Tucson today, that s about mid-town. The neighborhood was originally surrounded by natural desert, a great playground. Later, he had a summer job that would pay dividends in his career. He worked for a builder of custom adobe homes and learned masonry, carpentry and other skills. Basically, I was a slave a slave to the plaster guy, a slave to the adobe guy, he laughs. Although Robinette has won many awards, one that he cherishes came to him from the Alliance of Construction Trades. The general contractors and the subcontractors they have to put together the things I m dreaming up, he says. Those he deals with in the custom-home building arena respect Robinette s knowledge of their trade. He listens, says builder Jeff Willmeng. He s there in the field. We talk. His ego does not get in the way of anything. That and Robinette s great knack for bringing out the talents of the entire team are invaluable in meeting such challenges as building complicated homes on hillsides, says Willmeng. Nobody does a better job of getting these houses built than Ron, and he represents the best of the clients interests. He s a fabulous designer. Builder Mike Wachs admires Robinette s attention to detail. He notes that the architect s plans and construction documents are easy to read, that he is always accessible to answer questions and make decisions. The end result has always been a home that the clients love and a project we are proud to have our name on. Interior designer Christy Martin, likewise named a Master of the Southwest this year, says of Robinette: It is always a pleasure to work with Ron on a project. From my personal experience, the clients that choose to work with him are obviously seeking a quality project they go to Ron because they are after something really special. He s also a great listener and open to making changes, which is both a client s and a designer s dream. Karen Lytle can attest to Robinette s skill as a listener. She and her husband, Ben, engaged the architect to design a hacienda-style residence for them in Vail, Ariz. We wanted to build a new home that looks old, and we used the Royal Palms Resort and Spa as a model for our design, she says. We researched what we wanted and presented Ron with THIS PAGE, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES YOCHUM; OPPOSITE PAGE: TIM FULLER 226 PHOENIX HOME & GARDEN MARCH 2006
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The geometric lines of a Contemporary Tucson residence (this page and opposite) are warmed by earthy materials. In the kitchen (above), a stone wall with built-in wine center is a rugged counterpoint to wood cabinets, the glass of an island s dining center, a subway-style tile backsplash, granite countertops and stainless steel stove hood and appliances. PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM FULLER 228 PHOENIX HOME & GARDEN MARCH 2006
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Clockwise from top: A long pedestrian bridge provides a dramatic entry to this Tucson Contemporary desert residence. A corner window detail in the house is pure geometry. The home s curved glass wall opens the living room to views. Opposite: A stairway of stone leads visitors to this Southwest-style home s rock-encrusted outdoor courtyard and front entry. THIS PAGE, PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM FULLER; OPPOSITE PAGE: JAMES YOCHUM 230 PHOENIX HOME & GARDEN MARCH 2006
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Above: Reminiscent of old Spanish and Mexican haciendas, this residence features what Robinette calls the classic Tucson courtyard, surrounding outdoor living spaces, pool and garden areas. Opposite: A lofty beamed-and-corbeled ceiling, outsize chandeliers, and tall limestone fireplace add to the drama of this Tucson home s great room. The architect scaled the setting in voluminous proportions to coincide with dramatic views of the sweeping valley below. The houses always reflect the personalities of our clients a long document of our wishes. He is the ultimate gentleman. He listened intently. I ve never seen him look rushed. Carol Lomicka also has high praise for Robinette, calling him a gentleman s gentleman. She says she and her husband, William, hired the architect to design a Tuscan-style residence for them in Tucson while they were living in Louisville, Ky. A lot of the planning had to be done long distance, Carol says. Ron is a very good listener. He s a very talented architect, and his objective is to build something that not only he would be proud of, but the homeowner as well. I think the house is gorgeous. Listening to his clients is a part of the design process Robinette loves. I m very lucky, he admits. Most people here have had very interesting lives. Listening to them gives me a sense of what might make them feel comfortable in a home. The houses always reflect the personalities of our clients. Asked what his best project has been, an enthusiastic Robinette notes, I have a house on the boards right now. It s very, very wildly Contemporary. Robinette has never had to think about whether he made a good career decision. I really enjoy what I do, he states. If there were one thing he d like to try, he offers, I d like to be a writer of music, maybe in retirement. So far, there s no urge to pick up on playing the horns of his college days. As for his sons: One is thinking about becoming an architect, and is doing work for Habitat for Humanity. One of Robinette s twin sons is studying English, the other Asian studies. They also work for their dad the talented and successful architect who changed his mind many times. See Sources. THIS PAGE, PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM FULLER; OPPOSITE PAGE: JAMES YOCHUM 232 PHOENIX HOME & GARDEN MARCH 2006
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