Bernbaum/Magadini Architects featured in Patron Magazine August/September 2021

P AUG/SEPT 2021

ART & DESIGN ISSUE

ART & DESIGN ISSUE

PATRONMAGAZINE.COM

The clean lines of this home are enhanced by natural light.

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Modern, colorful furniture complements the monumental windows in Surrey Circle.

Thoughtfully constructed spaces with a dark palette and wood create an artful sense of harmony in the home.

In Situ

Thoughtfully designed homes by Bernbaum/Magadini Architects harmonize with the surrounding lot through artful architecture.

BY PEGGY LEVINSON AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

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Principal Tricy Magadini in her eclectically elegant home.

Principal Bruce Bernbaum in his modern kitchen with updated appliances.

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eflecting on the last year in isolation at home, we find ourselves examining our living spaces—how we live and how that has changed. Our collective emphasis on quality versus quantity has forged new patterns of buying and seeking the finest resources available. With that in mind, we caught up with the award-winning principals of local architectural and design firm Bernbaum/Magadini Architects, who have a superb reputation for bringing art to architecture naturally.

Bruce Bernbaum and Patricia Magadini met at the University of Arizona College of Architecture in Tucson and combined their outsized talents into one; he approaches architecture from a structural point of view, and she takes a more strategic design approach. The result is classic modern design that benefits from the surrounding landscape and natural light.

Tricy Magadini’s love of art was fostered by her artist mother with a larger-than-life personality; her brother and daughter are also artists.

Magadini’s midcentury home is a testament to that flair, with multiple art pieces by family members as well as other collected paintings. Her husband’s august guitar collection is on display too, reflecting the owner’s unique personality. Magadini’s father was a structural engineer and worked on several projects at Frank Lloyd Wright’s famed design laboratory, Taliesin West in Scottsdale. “All our family friends were architects that lived in cool midcentury modern houses (before they were known as such).” Becoming an architect was a natural choice.

Magadini was directly influenced by the undeniable presence of Wright in Arizona—how the placement of windows and shade in the unrelenting Arizona sun takes advantage of the undulating desert 60

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In concert with the stunning architecture, the Donna Strain Interiors–designed dining room offers a sleek yet lively feel.

Top: Daring and contemporary architecture harmonizes with swoonworthy chairs and a dramatic dining area surrounded by outdoor serenity.

Bottom left: This home’s magnificent hallways and walls call for artwork.

Paired with wood and built-in shelves, the new home is perfect for an art collector. Bottom right: Nature is just outside this urban retreat, with a waterfall just outside the window.

AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

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An ample number of large windows creates a welcoming yet vast feel to this home.

A waterfall cascades beneath the second floor, which overlooks the pool.

landscape, creating structures that harmonize with the lot around them. She sees architecture as problem solving, applying the build and design process to each particular situation. “Frank Lloyd Wright was a short man, so he designed structures that were low to the ground,” she says. Wright’s Taliesin West is deeply connected to the desert from which it was built. Wright was also fascinated with the repetition of geometric shapes and the precision with which each surface lines up.

“All details matter—especially in modern architecture, where each detail is significant. Everything is about scale and proportion in relation to the property. We design from the inside out,” she adds.

“Growing up in the harsh light of Arizona makes you work in tandem with your environment. Natural light is an integral part of our design process—how the house sits on the lot, windows and shade, outdoor living spaces.” An important aspect of a Bernbaum/Magadini home is embracing the lot—not just a backyard living area, but furnished side courtyards and even a front yard “room.” The isolation of the past year has brought everyone outside, that and has become integral to our wellbeing. The sanctuary of the home has expanded to include outdoor patios and courtyards.

A Bernbaum/Magadini project is designed for the customer, with their desired outcome solidly in the forefront of the design process.

They don’t have a standard ego-driven “signature” look that dictates how the house should be built, but the topography of the lot and the movement of sunlight are vital. It’s all in customer service—listening carefully throughout the process and building the best possible house that can be produced, with the homeowner’s desires and preferences guided by the architects’ ideas and expertise.

Bruce Bernbaum’s home was destroyed by the October 2019 tornado, so he had to rebuild on the same lot in much the same midcentury style while adding all the living components that have become more

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essential: Bernbaum 2.0. For example, there is an unobtrusive package drop on his front porch. A walk-in pantry and extra storage space in the kitchen eliminate clutter. Entry “mudrooms” have become highly considered designed spaces, providing a stylish spot to wash up and even remove outer garments. The open space kitchen/living area is still the floor plan of choice, but smaller niches allowing for alone time are welcome now. Thoughtful architecture creates privacy in open spaces. A catering kitchen or butler’s pantry is especially appreciated when meals are prepped and cooked in-house. Newfound prowess preparing sourdough starter requires places where supplies and ingredients for baking can be hidden away.

When kids moved back in during lockdown, people began to utilize their whole house out of pure necessity. All previously spare rooms were occupied. Clients requested designated craft spaces in order to be able to leave out the mess and disarray of such pandemic-acquired hobbies as scrapbooking, painting, and collecting. “We have clients telling us now that they are actually using their entire homes and side patios as intended—not just as spaces to be seen and admired,” says Bernbaum.

The genius of Bernbaum/Magadini is creating livable spaces using an artist’s hand. Smooth surfaces along with rough-hewn finishes all in a neutral palette create interest and depth as well as symbiotic adaptation to the nature around. Innovative use of materials can become a brilliant element of surprise. “Since the fireplace in the living room is a major focal point in my house, it needed to be something special. I found a stamped Japanese tile, INAX Homura, that has beautiful detail and color. The tile adds wonderful texture to the surround,” says Bernbaum.

The Bernbaum/Magadini house is characterized by natural materials and ample use of glass to make the structure meld with its surrounding lot. Outdoor seating spaces become inviting, fully furnished living rooms to entertain and enjoy. Say hello to your neighbors. P

Innovative designs allow for both privacy and light.

The rear of the home carries an outside/inside relationship that allows a full view of the backyard.

Meticulously situated in the midst of nature’s vistas and fauna, contemporary design imbued with a clear façade brings brilliant light into a Texas home.

AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

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PATRON AUG/SEPT 2021

ART & DESIGN ISSUE

ART & DESIGN ISSUE

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