James Hann Design, AIA
by Frederick Jerant
Luxury Home Quarterly
August 2011
pp.116-118
Pro Ballplayer’s Home Is a Synthesis of Tuscan-Inspired Architecture and Contemporary Design
James Hann, AIA, principal of James Hann Design, AIA, in Scottsdale, Arizona, started his business in 1988 after working with a number of other firms. And from the very start he has specialized in custom homes. “I’ve always enjoyed custom residential work,” he says. “With commercial designs, the key consideration is the budget, and architecture is a relatively small part of it. But with custom residential projects, you’re dealing with the owners-individuals and families. They’re more likely to splurge on what they want. Purely from an architectural and design standpoint, those projects arc a lot more fun.”
Hann’s primary market area is the desert terrain of Arizona, and he is also licensed in New Mexico, California, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Idaho. However, wherever he builds projects, he always avoids taking on too many as a favor to his clients. “There are two basic approaches to this kind of work,” he says. “At big companies, a principal assigns jobs to project teams, whose members must juggle several projects at one time. That’s how they turn out 75 projects a year. My company is small, and we accept about a half-dozen commissions annually. I’m able to give every job my personal attention. When a client calls with a question, I’m the one who answers the phone.”
One of the firm’s strengths, Hann says, is that it’s not limited to one or two particular styles. “A really good architect should be able to work with numerous styles,” he says. “Regardless of whether the project is contemporary or traditional, the same principles for good design still apply—composition, proportion, and balance.” “I believe in having the major players act as a team,” Hann adds. “They include the owner, builder, interior designer, and, of course, the architect. When everyone checks their egos at the door, the best and most comprehensive projects are the result.” Another key to a successful project, according to Hann, is listening to the client and discussing needs, wants, and ideas. “Design is a process,” he says. “Usually, my clients have a fairly good general idea about style, but rarely will they have a definitive list of what they want. That’s why design is evolutionary.”
Hann’s first step in the process is to walk the site to understand its layout—the general orientation, spots where the sun rises and sets, the presence or absence of large rocks or significant vegetation, and other natural features or determinants that can impact the design. This is followed by extensive Q&A sessions to determine his clients’ living styles and how they will use the various rooms during a given day. That information is translated into a series of loose pencil sketches to show rough concepts of how those elements could work together, and after the design details are finalized, CAD is used to create all the other documents.
The results of Hann’s work are spectacular. The Whisper Rock residence, for instance, is a Tuscan-style stucco private home covering more than 14,000 square feet and sited on a sprawling two-acre estate. It is the home of a Major League Baseball player and his family, and Hann is quick to credit Dan Couturier of Madison Couturier Custom Homes and designer Tony Sutton of Est Est Inc. for their contributions to the project.
“The climate is conducive to indoor-outdoor living,” Hann says, “We worked very closely with Steve Oliver, of Creative Water Concepts, to integrate covered patioscapes and water features. One is a reflecting pool outside of the great room. It feeds into a stream that runs through the property.” The subdued Mediterranean exterior belies the lush interior–which includes a full-size batting cage hidden below ground and a faux Irish pub complete with reclaimed wood, battered bricks, and a hand-carved bar.
“The owner wanted the Irish pub to look like a converted warehouse,” Hann says. The firm did not skimp on creature comforts, either—the space features leather-upholstered chairs, fireplaces, and multiple flat-screen TVs. Down the stair tower is a wine cellar with a door that opens to a seemingly nondescript broom closet. But the back of the closet is actually the secret entrance to a red-themed, contemporary after-hours club. A complete contrast to the rest of the home, the club is fitted with sculptural chairs, a free-form table, animal-print carpet, and a deceptive wall treatment. “The panels are sheets of MDF fiber board,” Hann says. “They were individually cut with a router to form a complex pattern. Every panel had to be precisely aligned so the pattern’s flow would be continuous.”
The centerpiece of the home’s dining area is an inlaid-wood table that seats 12, with a massive iron chandelier hanging above it. Ceiling beams actually pass over the top of one wall and run into the plaster-finished great room. “We wanted an ‘added-on’ effect,” Hann says. “The gap atop the wall implies that the rest of the home was built around it.”
The home is also a perfect example of the firm’s flexibility. During the planning stages, the owner was in the midst of delicate contract negotiations. At one point, he had misgivings about the scope of the project and instructed Hann to scale back certain elements. “Ultimately,” Hann says, “the negotiations worked out very well for him. [So] he called me and said, ‘Jim? Remember all the stuff we were going to take out? Put it back in!’”
Top Design Elements of the Whisper Rock Residence
Traditional stonework lends an Old World look. The same blend is used throughout the house, but it is used in different ways.
The large covered patio, surrounded by stonework, water features, landscaping, and a gorgeous view, reflects the openness common in Old World designs.
A reflecting pool, located just outside the great room, was designed and built by Creative Water Concepts (creativewaterconcepts.com). It can be set to spill cooling water across the walkway to the pool.
The secret nightclub offers adults a private hideaway. The space’s decor is a 180-degree turn from the rest of the house.
The faux Irish pub is the quintessential guy’s hangout. This room is the location for poker playing, TV viewing, and the trading of sports tales over a couple pints.