Minimalist Net-Zero Housing Projects
HK ASSOCIATES Complete the Casa Ala Blanca Project
Tucson-based architecture practice HK ASSOCIATES has designed Casa Ala Blanca — a net-zero, small-footprint residence in Oro Valley, Arizona, which won the 2026 Architizer A+Awards Popular Choice Award for Unbuilt Private House under 3,000 square feet.
Casa Ala Blanca, which translates to 'white wing house,' reimagines desert living through a single unifying architectural gesture that integrates passive environmental performance, rainwater harvesting, and everyday experience into a cohesive form. The home layers Sonoran architectural intuitions of shade protection, water collection, and indoor-outdoor entanglement, with a wing-like silhouette that creates sombrero-like shade, expanding the perceived limits of the modest 2,370-square-foot floor plan. The design is capable of capturing 3,700 square feet of rainwater surface area and providing ample opportunity for solar PV integration.
- Source
- Trend Hunter
- Published
- 2026-08-03
- Category
- Architecture
- Credited
- archello