Best Architecture
San Xavier Del Bac
READERS' PICK: Shimmering brilliantly in the Arizona sun southwest of Tucson is the mission of San Xavier del Bac, once popularly known as the "White Dove of the Desert." The combination of structural splendor, a setting of saguaro-studded desert surrounded by mountains and a rich and complex history makes for magic at every turn. Although Father Eusebio Kino gets the credit for establishing the mission in 1692, the present structure wasn't built until between 1776 and 1797. San Xavier is an example of Churrigueresque-style architecture--a type of late-period Spanish Baroque named after a family fairly overflowing with architectural genius. The style is characterized by stark, bare side walls contrasting sharply with an elaborate and intricately ornate entrance facade. San Xavier is roundly considered to be one of the finest examples of this style still standing in the United States today (although several such examples can be found in Mexico.) The mission is a simple and beautiful interpretation of Spanish architecture combined with decidedly indigenous influences. The mission churches were usually built with whatever limited materials were on hand--in San Xavier's case, fired brick, local volcanic rock and stucco. The labor to build the structures was drawn from the local population, people not experienced at building a place to house their God. The result is a stunning manifestation of the Old World meeting the New. Still an active mission church today, San Xavier remains a breathtaking mixture of architecture, sculpture and history.
1950 W. San Xavier RoadREADERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: The number of pink buildings in this burg that we can still stomach stands at about one. The Roy Place-designed Pima County Courthouse, built in 1929, with its lovely array of arches, maturing desert landscaping and tile dome has to be the best government structure by far in Tucson or a dozen other cities. The fact that it houses courts and mundane county departments like the assessor's office raises the question: Is this all we can do with such a wonderful building? As much as we like double-parking to run in and pay our property taxes at the last minute to Treasurer James Lee Kirk, we lust for more. With our voices low, we actually think Ed Moore's idea to use it as a home for a top-notch western art collection is not a bad idea--might free up some space at the Tucson Museum of Art, which is having no trouble coming up with some hip, well-curated shows. Of course, we would love to see the county dive into the Downtown Arts District by funding an enclave of artist studios and shops at the Old Courthouse, but we're not holding our breath on that one.
STAFF PICK: In Pima County's minimum-security facility, at 1801 S. Mission Road, we have a playfully inviting building that looks more like a new Pima College campus than a correctional institution. Painted in earthy tans and desert greens, it looks like a place where one might enroll for the class "Introduction to Cellular Living." We like the beautiful tile work on the south end of the building, depicting 1994 Tucson's ecomomic powers from educational to agricultural to industrial (and don't forget penal). But, the mural can only be viewed through sturdy chain link and then with a sign warning, "Do not approach within 20 feet of fence."
CAT'S MEOW: Tucked away in the neighborhood northwest of the Campbell/Kino overpass, architectural partners Arthur Perkins and Rick Hoffman, of Hoffman Perkins Design, have the best residential design/build project in their 15th Street Studios. This modernist six-unit complex, completed at 1335 E. 15th St. in late 1991, testifies to the fact that quality architectural design does not have to be expensive. To be sure, the materials are basic: concrete, steel, stucco and plywood. But for around $40 a square foot, they've provided 1,200 square feet per unit, including a private fenced back yard with a covered porch separating the living quarters from a free-standing structure intended for use as an artist studio or other work space. The most striking feature at first glance is the windows. Steel sash windows, which are the industrial-sized operable windows you might find in a factory, are stacked on 15-foot north- or south-facing walls of each unit. The abundance of windows throughout, combined with the 15-foot ceilings, loft bedroom and natural cabinetry of the interior, create a unique, well-lighted voluminous space out of a room the size of your average one-bedroom apartment.The gray concrete block structure, capped by an ultra-cool corrugated steel roof and accented by orange integrated-color stucco and red steel-beamed porches, shelter a shared interior courtyard space with lush desert landscaping from the City of Tucson's approved xeriscape list. Mesquite and palo verde trees scattered around the perimeter give way to a common-use courtyard cooled by live oak, purple-flowered Texas Ranger, red sage and the tall stalks of red yucca. Curious pedestrians can take the walkway extending between 14th and 15th streets and check it out. Don't be shy--Perkins says their intention was to provide a comfortable segue for people rather than make a walled compound. The nearby Manlove Studios, 1250 E. Manlove St., are another of Perkins' projects and employ a similar approach.
