Architect Henri Cleinge (images by Marc Cramer) set up this extension and an intentional dialog between disparate periods of time, leaving the stone structure alone as much as possible on the outside and connecting it delicately to the addition via a single second-story bridge.

Inside, the original volume retains its rustic character, reinforced with the use of traditional wood furniture and minimal essential renovations. The new space is stark, white and modern by comparison.

The children, grandparents and great grandparents inhabit the old building while the parents and primary clients live in the new. The structures meet through two-level living rooms positioned in close proximity but set at different angles, again to accentuate the distinction of old and new.

Per Arizona’s building codes, the house is not allowed to surpass the peak of the mountain. Tsontakis gets around this in his design by wrapping the home around the mountain.

The “head” of the manta ray design makes up the home’s entrance. An access road leads up to the front door, inside of which is a ten car garage. A spectacular swimming pool hugs one side of the home and the mountain provides the residents with privacy.

Inside the home, the floor plan includes a 2,000 square foot entertainment room carved into the side of the mountain. Access to the two offshoot wings of the home is partially via tunnels cut into the mountain to minimize the home’s height.

Eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms occupy various parts of the home. Floor to ceiling glass walls bring in abundant natural light and open to allow the fresh mountain air to swirl through the home’s interior.

The home’s wrap-around decks provide the perfect place from which to gaze down on the city below. In a spectacular setting like Mummy Mountain, it would take a truly magnificent home to both blend in and stand out from the mountain – and this nature-based design absolutely fits the bill.