Swoon-worthy sunsets and a diverse culinary scene have long defined Arizona’s second-largest city, Tucson—but its architectural legacy is just as compelling. Across the high desert landscape, along with southwestern homes with adobe walls and red clay tile roofs, there is a striking collection of contemporary homes that embrace the city’s strong qualities of light, place, and culture. Among them is a light-filled residence by American architect Judith Chafee (1932–1998), a masterwork of desert modernism that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.

Originally named the Jane Solomon House, the two-story residence was completed in 1975 and sits on six protected acres of land in the Catalina Foothills. It’s since been dubbed Ramada House, after the 26-foot-tall timber structure that looms over the residence providing shade and casting shadows.

Ramada House has changed hands twice in the past five years. It first sold for $1.9 million in 2021 and then again last year for $2.5 million, this time to a group of concerned neighbors. Fearing a developer might acquire the property, they organized to purchase it with the intention of holding it until a buyer committed to preserving the landmark property stepped forward, Wallpaper reports.

One of the group’s key members is designer and gallerist Casey W Smith, who oversaw the home’s most recent series of renovation and restorations. Sensitive updates were spread out over ten months, with original features like concrete-tile floors, lintels, and exposed timber posts being repaired and restored. Additional changes included custom-milled pine-plank flooring that replaced the carpeting on the main stairwell and is complementary to materials in the upstairs bedrooms.

Smith referenced Chafee’s archives at the University of Arizona ahead of formulating new ideas that maximize space and allow light to filter through. Still, Chafee’s initial architectural focus for the mortar-washed slump-block building remains ever present. A massive window with geometric framing in the living room that creates a dramatic visual effect against the mountains beyond, while sleek wooden cabinetry and sharp lines throughout the home emphasize simplicity and a climate-conscious design.

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The nearly 3,800-square-foot residence features a formal dining room, kitchen, family room, and library, along with four bedrooms and three full bathrooms. A shaded roof deck with ample seating and dining space provides sweeping views of the surrounding landscape, while a fenced swimming pool and thermal canopy are additional standout features. The property is available for $2.99 million with Thalia Kyriakis and Bryan Durkin of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty.

Click here to view more photos of the Tucson residence.