Prefab

Embedded in the desert, this Marmol Radziner–designed prefab home for a Las Vegas casino executive features a James Turrell pyramidal Skyspace structure.

“One of the goals of Zenkaya was to create employment in a country crippled by [an unemployment rate of over 25 percent],” explains the architect, who likes to call himself a social entrepreneur.

The firm collaborated with Kountry Kraft and its modular manufacturer, Simplex Homes, to expand the palette of materials, including the teak cabinetry used in the kitchen and dining areas. Interior designer David Bentheim suggested the marble backsplash for the bar area. Antique dining chairs, an LED Aurea pendant lamp by FontanaArte, and a Paolo Piva table from B&B Italia complete the room.

New pine and spruce wood from the Pyrenees (both recyclable and PEFC certified) were selected for the façade of the 1,000-square-foot prefab. Smart blinds cover the windows, rigged to open and close depending on the weather forecast.

The main building sinks then elevates in full view of ocean.