I have had the privilege to work within this collaborative since arriving in the desert in 2001. My own experiences have lead me to live on the east and west coasts, pursuing both practical and academic interests in architecture. I now look at the desert as my permanent home and see in it a phenomenally beautiful vastness and depth, in both space and time. Conversely, there is also an intimacy and immediacy that add contradiction and complexity to life here. At every level, living in the Sonoran desert is a truly unique experience and deserves careful consideration and reverence when designing to complement the existing physical environment. As is common to all members of this collaborative, I am committed to the idea that architecture should be firmly rooted within its context as a means of confirming Place. I am continually grateful for the opportunity to work here among our growing community of clients and friends.