Johnston Marklee completes "democratic by nature" green-metal tower in Phoenix

California studio Johnston Marklee has completed Ray Phoenix, a residential building in Arizona clad in a mint green metal facade, the colour informed by the surrounding desert.

Located just outside of Phoenix's downtown, in the city's Roosevelt Row Arts District, Ray Phoenix contains 401 apartments and rises 26 storeys.

The building was meant to  "enhance the Phoenix community by making art, architecture, and design highly accessible to its residents" and was is co-developed by New York developer Ray and Kansas-based developer Vela.

It is among a number of owner-operated developments by Ray, which recently completed a similar property in New York designed by Frida Escobedo Studio and Handel Architects.

Ray Phoenix is made up of a slim tower that sits on a wide, rectangular base. Amenity and garage floors sit in the lower levels, while a pool deck sits on top of the podium.

It is made up of a "consistent grid", according to Johnston Marklee founding partner Sharon Johnston, and was informed by the surrounding desert, including its green colour, which was chosen to both complement and stand out in the environment.

"Ray Phoenix is rooted in an elemental design approach that draws from the desert landscape, weaving different textures and subtle contrasts into a building that feels both grounded and distinct to the city's skyline," said Marklee.

"The building's design is democratic by nature, with a consistent grid uniting the living units in the tower with the communal spaces, garden deck, and amenity floors at the base."

The building contains a majority of studio apartments, although one-bedrooms and two-bedroom apartments are also located throughout the floors.

Amenity spaces include a gym with an outdoor patio, a communal kitchen, a large social space with a sunken lounge, and a "resort-style" pool deck, with a hot tub and a row of shaded seating.

Its terraces and indoor plantings were designed by Grace Fuller Design and feature primarily local species.

"The majority of the plants are native to North America, and we were deliberate in combining perennials, cacti, and grasses to create a composition that feels immersive and abundant while remaining true to the region's arid character," said studio founder Grace Fuller.

The building also contains an exhibition space, called Studio 105, and will eventually contain a ground-level retail market.

For the building's interior, Ray's in-house team worked with New York studio Parts and Labor Design.

According to the team, materials such as concrete, heavy-grit plaster, brick, glazed tile and blond oak flooring pay homage to the palette of the desert, while the furniture is wide and low-rising.

In keeping with Ray's mission, which seeks to combine arts and design with residential projects, pieces by local artists such as Carlisle Burch and rocki swiderski are distributed throughout the building.

A mural by Alex Israel, depicting local plant species, was commissioned for the lobby.

"For residents, creators, and passerbys alike, RAY offers something rare: a place where culture isn't curated for a few, but cultivated for all," said the team.

Johnston Marklee recently completed a guesthouse for Danish furniture brand Vipp in upstate New York, while architecture studio Multistudio also completed a tower in downtown Phoenix.

The photography is by William Jess Laird

The post Johnston Marklee completes "democratic by nature" green-metal tower in Phoenix appeared first on Dezeen.