When we picture desert landscapes, we conjure images of barren plains, undulating dunes and nothing but sand for miles around. Yet some savvy architects have ventured into these arid and exposed locations to design and build incredible pieces of architecture inspired by the environment around them.

From an angular zinc-clad home in Nevada to an imposing self-build in the UK's only desert, these wild and wonderful properties prove that living in a desert doesn't have to mean foregoing luxury or style...

A bright and surprising find on the outskirts of Joshua Tree National Park, Monument House sits in a valley of boulders, with nothing but sand and rock formations in sight.

With its bold, multi-coloured façade and cube-like design, there's no denying that this property is one of a kind.

Architect Josh Schweitzer designed the quirky pad as a retreat for the owners’ close friends and family. However, today it’s an awesome Airbnb you can rent anytime you like.

Schweitzer followed in the footsteps of many notable architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright Jr., more commonly known as Lloyd Wright, by “continuing a rich tradition of experimental and radical architecture in the high desert”, the listing states.

Designed as a reinvention of the modern desert dwelling, the property is split into three distinctive cubes – one pink, one blue and one green. The colours were reportedly chosen to reflect the shades of cacti, desert rocks and the sky.

Each cube boasts sharp, angular windows and doors, which only add to its unusual aesthetic.

Inside, the distinctive design details continue, with the use of bold colours, sloping walls, geometric openings and mismatched furnishings. There’s a single bedroom, one bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen, a living room with a double-height ceiling and a dining room.

The pink unit is actually a sheltered gazebo, kitted out with a dining table, for semi-alfresco meals. The property is enclosed by more than five acres of land and comes with a hot tub nestled in the boulders, a fire pit and loungers, for soaking up the desert scenery.

American actress and author, Suzanne Somers owned this stunning desert compound in Palm Springs, California, for decades. In fact, she lived there with her game show host husband, Alan Hamel, from the 1970s until 2021, when they off-loaded the place for a cool £6.7 million ($8.5m).

Amazingly, the pair had originally listed the place for £27.6 million ($35m), so the buyer certainly bagged themselves a bargain.

Situated on the side of a craggy mountain, high above Mesa Canyon valley, the home is a modern masterpiece that's bursting with beautiful design work.

Somers and Hamel reportedly designed much of the place themselves, taking inspiration from a restaurant named L'Oustau De Baumanière in Provence, France. They also combined their "love of nature and elegance with the use of contrasts", TopTenRealEstateDeals.com explains. 

The compound is made up of five separate buildings, totalling 7,280 square feet. The main home comes complete with the master suite and six other bedrooms, as well as nine bathrooms, a dining room that seats 24, a living room, a two-room kitchen and a huge pantry.

There’s also a stone guest house that was designed in the 1920s by Albert Frey. Every room is overflowing with stunning details, such as crystal chandeliers, natural rock walls and reclaimed wood ceilings. Plus, check out this amazing marble tub.

The compound stretches some 28 acres and there are about 10,000 square feet of pavilions, where Somers no doubt spent a lot of time soaking up the desert surroundings.

There are two outdoor pools, a spa, a natural waterfall and even an amphitheatre. Carved into the mountainside, it seats 50 people and has a dance floor. There's even a private funicular – a type of cable railway – that can transport people up the hillside in style and comfort. On the market again in May 2024 via Compass for £7.1 million ($9m), this amazing desert home is undeniably priceless.

Known as The Cedar House, this pad can be found in Wonder Valley, in the Californian city of Twentynine Palms.

Positioned on the cusp of Joshua Tree National Park, the custom-built marvel is a masterclass in desert design or, as the listing agents put it, "a testament to bespoke luxury and architectural brilliance".

Surrounded by 10 acres of land, The Cedar House comes complete with 1,500 square feet of outdoor patio space, making it an entertainer's dream come true.

Inside, there are 1,200 square feet of space and every inch is utterly stunning – think exposed vaulted ceilings, walls of glass, quirky alcove storage, organic light fixtures and furnishings, polished concrete floors and statement tiles.

The ultimate indoor-outdoor home, the retreat has an open-concept living room, with a dining area and kitchen, which opens to a covered patio.

There are also two bedrooms and two bathrooms, all with large windows framing the dramatic landscape outside.  

Outside, there’s a fully equipped outdoor kitchen, a BBQ grill and a state-of-the-art Gozney pizza oven, for any culinary adventure. There’s an alfresco dining space, a movie projector, a firepit and more than enough space for a resort-style pool.

Plus, the rooftop deck is the perfect place for soaking up unrivalled views or partaking in a spot of sunrise yoga. For sale with Douglas Elliman in May 2024 for £708,000 ($899k), this elegant home would be well worth every penny.

When you picture desert landscapes around the world, you probably wouldn't think about England. But did you know that the county of Kent is home to the UK's only desert? 

Situated on the coast, Dungeness is home to shingle beaches, sand dunes and expansive desert plains. It is also designated a National Nature Reserve due to its wild beauty. It's in the heart of this rugged and exposed landscape that this remarkable home can be found.

Named Pobble House, the home was designed by Hollaway Studio and was very much inspired by its surroundings. Principle architect, Guy Hollaway, described Dungeness as having “an otherworldly presence” thanks to a litany of corroded metals, silvering woods and cement boards, left behind after the nearby power station was constructed.

This material palette informed the design of Pobble House and can be seen in the use of larch timber, concrete and Corten steel, which weathers to a gorgeous rusty orange shade over time. “Less the product of an architect’s plans, it is a house made of the desert”, Guy said of the project.

These durable materials also help to protect the property from the region's extreme climate. Despite the house being in an open and exposed location, it remains calm and quiet inside, even on the blusteriest of days.

This was achieved through careful placement of the home and sheltered pockets, ensuring heavy wind doesn't affect the owners' quality of life. Plus, rubber waterproofing was used to seal the timber frame, helping rainwater to drain away quickly.

The single-storey structure is made up of three blocks and the base of the building is raised above the beach by just 1.6 feet, to reduce its impact on the shingle below.

This also allowed the architects to add a private deck outside, where the owners can soak up their surroundings and even dine alfresco. As for the interior, there's a family room, dining area and kitchen, as well as private bedrooms and a bunk room. Incredibly affordable, the project cost just £250,000 ($316k).

Mia Riad is a stunning home that lies in the heart of the Yucca Valley, in California's Mojave Desert.

Newly built, the oasis was inspired by the desert landscapes of Argentina and Morocco, to name a few, and is described by the Airbnb owners as “where busy minds go to relax, rejuvenate and recharge”.

More than just a home, the retreat benefits from an amazing outdoor space, with a heated pool, an integrated hot tub, a private courtyard with loungers and more than two acres of land waiting to be explored.

Plus, with Pioneertown and Joshua Tree National Park just 10 minutes’ drive away, guests can spend their days embracing one of America’s wildest places. And if you like the exterior, you'll simply adore what's going on inside...

With its contemporary, bohemian décor and sliding doors that connect the interior with the surroundings, the Riad is utterly enticing. Almost every room benefits from interesting details, such as bold ceiling arches, intricate tile work and handmade textiles.

Organic materials, natural timber and a neutral colour palette reflect the sandy surroundings further.

As for rooms, there's a gorgeous open-plan living area with a dining space and a stunning kitchen, tucked away in a nook.

There are also two bedrooms (imagine waking up to that view each morning!), two bathrooms and multiple "reading, sunbathing and meditation" zones that are perfect for whiling away the hours in style and solitude.

This stunning modern residence is nestled among the rocky outcrops of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and was constructed from eco-friendly rammed earth walls. With exceptional thermal properties, temperature control and durability, rammed earth is also fire-proof and pest-resistant, making it the perfect choice for this part of the world.

Designed by DUST, the architects worked especially hard to minimise the impact the house would have on the fragile environment, opting to build the property away from popular animal migration paths.

Set over a single storey, the long and narrow structure features multiple terraces across both the north and south elevations, as well as a deck on the roof.

Local soil was used to build the walls, while wow-factor glazed doors transform the home into a space where the interior living zones and the desert merge seamlessly.

The internal spaces are separated into three sections – a sleeping and washing area, a lounge and a music studio. In the living room, statement glazed walls slide open to ensure fresh air flows between the rooms.

The ultimate indoor-outdoor interior, residents have to leave the building to travel between the different internal spaces.

The two bedrooms feature an industrial-style concrete canopy to shelter the rooms from the harsh midday sun, but that’s not the only cool design feature here.

The house produces all of its own water, thanks to a 30,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system – super handy in the desert, where water is in short supply.

The poetically named Dancing Light House can be found in Paradise Valley, Arizona, and was completed in 2016.

The work of architects Kendle Design Collaborative, the residence was inspired by nature and the dwelling and its adjoining guest house feature striking geometric lines that mirror the natural geometry of the surrounding land.

The property was crafted from layered rammed earth walls, concrete, metal and glass, resulting in an organic shape that perfectly suits its desert setting. One of the most dramatic features of the 5,600-square-foot house is its floating roof canopy.

As well as adding wow-factor, it also creates a perfect balance between the smaller, cosier living spaces with lower ceilings and the vast vaulted rooms, framed by the elevated roof at the rear of the property.

The house was designed to maximise natural light and ventilation, wherever possible. By arranging it around a central courtyard, a wealth of sunlight and fresh air can flood each of the living spaces.

Our favourite feature has to be the swimming pool, which casts enchanting reflections up into the wooden, overhanging canopy.

The interior has been fitted with state-of-the-art lighting and cooling systems, too, all cleverly concealed within the walls. The organic-inspired interior features natural timber walls, concrete floors, expanses of glass and furnishings in an array of desert hues.

There are endless spaces for reclining and soaking up the views, including an open-plan living area, dining zone and kitchen in the main body of the house. Two wings on either side of this contain bedrooms – one is home to the master suite, which comes with its own glass-enclosed garden, and the other houses two further sleep spaces.

This 3,875-square-foot dwelling is located in Blue Diamond, a hamlet in the enchanting Mojave Desert, just outside Las Vegas.

Built on a sloping site in an arroyo, or dry creek, the team at Hoogland Architecture designed a low-lying home formed of two rectangular structures, connected by a deck.

The exterior walls are formed from concrete, weathered steel and large stretches of glazing.

To protect the property from the intensity of the desert heat, deep roof overhangs have been added, while shaded patios encircle the house to provide extra protection from the sun's ray.

Built as a residence that the homeowners could enjoy in their golden years, future-proofing was an important consideration. As such, all of the living spaces have been placed on the same level, while the wraparound deck connects each area of the property for ease of access.

Other accessibility features include grab rails and a wet room. All of the rooms are also easy to manoeuvre around, with concrete floors and plenty of circulation space.

Sustainability was also a top priority for the homeowners, so low-flow plumbing fixtures and non-toxic paint were incorporated into the design of the home.

Grey water is treated onsite, thanks to a septic system, and the owners are planning to install photovoltaic solar panels, with the aim of generating more energy than the home consumes.

Sitting high in the Canelo Hills in southern Arizona’s San Rafael Valley, this desert home is akin to a piece of art. Architectural studio DUST created the desert home, with the owners requesting an off-grid house that would celebrate its place in this remote corner of the United States.

And, being just 15 miles north of the busy US-Mexico border, privacy and security were of the utmost importance.

When coming up with the design, the architects took inspiration from the local vernacular and the 'zaguan' housing typology. Compact at just under 1,000 square feet, this house model is straightforward: two bedrooms sit opposite the living space, which includes a kitchen, dining and sitting area. A zaguan, or wide central hallway, runs between them.

As for the material palette, the architects were influenced by the surrounding desert plains. The home’s walls are composed of a mixture of pulverised, lightweight red scoria and cement – or lava-crete – in the same colour as the dirt beneath.

At the heart of the house, the sheltered courtyard frames views of the valley beyond and can also be used as a dining area when the weather allows.

While the internal layout is open-plan, for security reasons, the owners requested the architects make the shell of the home impenetrable. And at 18-inches thick, the walls are certainly that!

Inside, the rooms are kept simple and light, with raw lava-crete walls complemented by warm sassafrass wood finishes on the ceiling. Amazingly, the remote property is entirely self-sustaining.

Cooling is provided by natural cross ventilation, through the zaguan and strategically placed windows, while wood fuel sourced from the site itself provides heating. Water comes from a well and solar power is used for the owner’s minimal electrical needs.

Desert homes don't get much more impressive or unique than this. Shapeshifter is located within the striking desert landscape of Reno, Nevada.

With its sleek, low-lying form, the house almost looks like an extension of the desert itself, with just a few slanted, zinc-clad walls visible from certain vantage points.

The incredible home was designed by the team at Ogrydziak Prillinger Architects (OPA) and was crafted for two art collectors and dealers, who decided to move from the arid high desert, closer to the city of Reno.

They wanted their new house to be both contemporary and still respectful of the landscape of the American West. The result? An angular, metal home with an organic shape that reflects the undulating forms of the surrounding land.

Sculpted mounds of earth surround the home, with portions forming its roof. "We reshaped the site into anticlines and synclines, dunes and blowouts, and gradually the form of the house emerged with the terrain," the architects said of the project.

These earth walls are complemented by steel and concrete elements, which help to reduce solar gains, keeping the home at a comfortable temperature all year round. The interior was arranged to capture far-reaching views of desert mountains and plains, with the rooms boasting floor-to-ceiling glass.

Despite its low-lying form, the house has three floors. It can be entered via a courtyard and comes with an open-plan living room, dining area and kitchen.

The two upper floors both offer a bedroom, bathroom and private outdoor terrace. Design-wise, the house is seriously industrial, with angular black ceilings, exposed structural beams and polished concrete floors.

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