Tucson: An Architecture and Design Hub
A city shaped by the desert
Tucson’s architectural evolution reflects a deep connection to its desert environment and layered cultural history, beginning with the adobe structures of the Hohokam peoples, and continuing through Spanish colonial missions, mid-century modernism, and today’s innovative, climate-responsive designs. From preserved historic neighborhoods and iconic landmarks to cutting-edge contemporary work, Tucson remains a living showcase of how architecture can adapt to place, culture, and community over time.
Foundations: Indigenous and Spanish Influences
Tucson has long been known as home to the oldest inhabited land in the United States, a claim that is largely based on the evidence of cultivated land at the base of Sentinel Peak. The Hohokam, who lived in the area from roughly 500 to 1450 AD cultivated the land and built homes and other structures using adobe, a sun-dried brick made from mud and straw. This technique allowed their structures to retain heat in the winter to keep the interior warm and to act as a dense shield in the summers to keep homes cooler when those 100-degree temperatures creeped in. Adobe has been used throughout the history of architecture in this Sonoran Desert town.
After the arrival of Father Eusebio Francisco Kino in 1687 in the Pimería Alta (modern-day Arizona and Sonora, Mexico) he built a following and soon after established the San José de Tumacácori Mission in 1691. The Mission is located 47 miles south of Tucson along I-10, about a 45-minute drive from town. There, visitors can take a self-guided tour of the grounds and learn about the history of the area as well as Father Kino and his followers. The main structure at Tumacácori resembles a Spanish colonial mission but was created using the adobe techniques implemented by the Tohono O’odham, who are descendants of the Hohokam, and continue to thrive in the Sonoran Desert in and around Tucson.
After a snowstorm forced the emergency evacuation of Father Kino and his followers from Tumacácori, they migrated north and established Mission San Xavier del Bac, which was founded in 1700 and completed in 1797. San Xavier del Bac is located on the Tohono O’odham Nation, about 10 miles and a 15-minute drive from Tucson’s downtown. The Mission has docent lead tours every day except for Sunday, which is reserved for holding mass in the still working church. The building is known as the ‘White Dove of the Desert’ and is the best example of Baroque architecture in the USA.
As the population in the area grew, and the Spanish colonizers had more of a presence, they established the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson in 1775. This structure was also created using adobe, and although it no longer stands today, there is now a museum located on the northeast corner of where the original Presidio was. It features a reconstruction of the original 1850s Sonoran Row home, and the ‘Early People’s Park’. The ‘Living History Days’ and ‘Cultural Heritage Days’ (held on various weekends from October through April) and regular docent tours are available for visitors to get a glimpse of what life was like in early Tucson.
The neighborhood and surrounding area were also built using adobe, and the oldest structure still standing in the Presidio Neighborhood is La Casa Cordova, which was built in the mid-1840s, while Tucson was still a part of Mexico. La Casa Cordova is now a part of the Tucson Museum of Art, which was designed by Andy Anderson, a principal architect of the architecture firm founded by William Wilde. The museum houses a wide range of Indigenous, Western and modern art, and currently La Casa Cordova houses Vivamos Siempre Como Hermanos, an exhibit created by Feng-Feng Yeh and The Chinese Chorizo Project.
Beyond the museum, the neighborhood is lined with thick adobe row homes. The simple yet ingenious design of row homes helps keep interior spaces cool during the hot summer months. They are built with thick, shared walls and high ceilings, allowing for efficient insulation and cooling due to the natural tendency of warm air to rise and linger high in the houses. It is just another example of architecture that’s adapted for the desert.
This style of architecture that’s found in the Presidio neighborhood used to extend all the way to Barrio Libre (Barrio Viejo) just south of downtown. Barrio Libre is the only other neighborhood in town that has streets lined with adobe row homes. The rest of the 80 acres of neighborhoods and communities that existed between the presidio area and Barrio Libre were demolished in the 1960s to make way for a new convention center in the middle of downtown, forcing families that had lived there for generations to relocate. Many of the homes in these barrios have been turned into offices, art galleries, and boutiques or renovated into modern homes. It’s a familiar trope when examining dense neighborhoods across the nation: working class families being pushed out in favor of higher rent prices when a neighborhood becomes more desirable. Walking these neighborhoods is an interesting study of architecture, and how design trends shift and change over time to bend to the needs and desires of its community.
Desert Modernism: The Mid-Century Boom and beyond
Fast-forward to the mid-20th century, Tucson became a surprising hub for modernist architecture.
This era is most visible along The Sunshine Mile, a historic stretch of Broadway Boulevard lined with mid-century commercial buildings designed by some of Tucson’s most influential architects: Bernard Friedman, Fred Jobusch, Sylvia and William Wilde, Anne Rysdale, Nicholas Sakellar, Charles Cox, Cain, Nelson and Ware, and Howard Peck, among others. These structures brought glass, steel, and concrete materials to the desert, always adjusting to accommodate Tucson’s intense sunlight and seasonal temperature swings.
A standout of the era is the Ball-Paylore House designed by Arthur T. Brown (1952). The compact and ingenious home embodies the ideals of modernism while embracing desert living. Its rotating patio overhang and skylights are all operable and were part of a thoughtful strategy to cool and shade the home in different ways, adapting to the needs of the desert seasons and sun. Today travelers can book a stay in the historic home, now an Airbnb maintained by the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation
Judith Chafee, active in the 1970s and ’80s, bridged the gap between tradition and modernism. Her work, including the modern Ramada House, paid homage to Indigenous forms and passive cooling strategies, such as the ramada — a Tohono O’odham structure made of wood slats for shade and ventilation. Other notable works of hers are the Jacobsen House, and the Rieveschl Residence all of which are private residences in Tucson’s foothills.
Another great example of blending tradition with modernism is the Solana Spanish Villas. Its first adobe villas were built in the late 1940s with some modern additions being incorporated into the property in the 1950s. The property is now undergoing an expansion that is being designed by PMM (Poster Mirto McDonald), a local architecture firm that works extensively on historic renovations around town. Their additions will incorporate new building techniques while preserving the spirit of the original structures. To bring the saga full circle, Corky Poster (founder and Principal Planner of PMM) worked under Judith Chafee during her final active years in Tucson, and today, his firm operates out of the very space that acted as both her home and architectural practice.
Landscape Architecture: Designing with the Desert
One of the most iconic examples of modernist landscape design in Tucson is the Tucson Convention Center fountains. Designed by renowned landscape architect Garret Eckbo, the fountains can be found in front of the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall. Installed in the 1970s, these geometric fountains were a grand experiment in bringing the element of water at the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area into the heart of the city’s downtown desert landscape. While they initially fell into disrepair and stood dormant for years, the fountains were restored to their original state in 2022 by Sundt Construction.
Another important landscape feature is the El Presidio Fountain, a collaboration between artist Charles Clement and architect Michael Lugo. The fountain faced removal after years of disuse, but was ultimately brought back to life in 2023, and like the Convention Center fountains, highlights Tucson’s ongoing dedication to public art.
A key player in the restoration of these landscape architecture sites, as well as the preservation of prominent buildings in town is the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation. Established in 1984, it serves as the organization working to save Tucson’s heritage and cultural resources. A variety of programming is offered throughout the year including lectures, tours, films, and exclusive access to otherwise inaccessible historic properties. They also host the yearly Tucson Modernism Week, which celebrates Tucson's unique mid-20th century architecture and design heritage.
The New Wave: Contemporary Design
Today, contemporary architects in Tucson continue this tradition with innovative, site-sensitive work. Homes are still oriented to capture breezes and block direct sun, materials are chosen for thermal performance, and new technologies are layered onto time-tested techniques. This continuity, from adobe to steel and glass, defines Tucson’s architectural soul of building with the desert, not in spite of it.
Some brilliant local firms working to create unique and intentional desert architecture are Studio Rick Joy, Studio CABAN, and DUST architects. The latter was recently recognized at the 2025 Venice Biennale, the world stage of architecture, along with only 54 finalists who are representing the United States.
Tucson’s architecture community continues to evolve, and alongside this architectural momentum is a thriving local design scene; particularly in furniture, lighting, and functional art. Shops like Sunshine Shop, housed in the restored “Hirsh’s Shoes” building on The Sunshine Mile, AZ Modern, and the newer Saturday Generation have become vital platforms for Tucson-based creatives. These spaces celebrate contemporary craft and desert aesthetics, often hosting events that bring the design community together and showcase the city’s creative diversity.
