On July 11, 1994 the Arizona Corporation Commission approved our articles of incorporation. In the intervening years, there have been a few changes – notably, our 2012 name change from Rammed Earth Development, Inc. to PureBuild, Inc. to better reflect the scope of our projects….
News & Media
New project photos added to our rammed earth and custom home gallery pages. We’ve recently added images of two spectacular projects to our gallery pages. On our rammed earth gallery, photos were uploaded of an exquisite home designed by Wernerfield Architecture + Design and completed…
Rammed earth panel discussion available for viewing on Vimeo.
In case you missed the great panel discussion on the history and current state of rammed earth construction in Southern Arizona hosted by Originate Natural Building Materials, Natasha Winnik had the foresight to arrange filming the event and the generosity to share the results. Enter…
Tom Wuelpern participating in rammed earth panel discussion at Originate Natural Building Materials
PureBuild’s Tom Wuelpern will be participating in a panel discussion on rammed earth construction hosted Originate Natural Building Materials on October 12, 2023 from 6 – 8 PM. Originate has been supplying Tucson with earth-friendly building materials, including flooring, countertop materials, paints and tile for…
McNeal 020 celebrated internationally
Three years ago, PureBuild completed construction of the cast-in-place concrete inverted pyramid pavilion, McNeal 020, designed by Paris-based architect David Telerman. In the ensuing years, this remarkable architectural sculpture set in the stark beauty of the Cochise County Sonoran Desert valley of the Chiricahua Mountains…
PureBuild named as top Tucson builder by Home Builder Digest
PureBuild was again recognized as a best construction company in Tucson, Arizona by Home Builder Digest, stating our “deep understanding of traditional and modern architectural styles” enables us to create “unique and beautiful homes”. Scroll past the first 4 commercial contractor listings to see what…
Home Builder Digest names PureBuild as best custom home builder in Tucson.
Home Builder Digest named PureBuild, Inc. as one of the best custom home builder’s in Tucson, noting “PureBuild values sustainability and utilizes durable materials. It is committed to constructing homes of enduring quality that serve future generations.”
The City of Tucson designates PureBuild, Inc. as a legacy business.
We are pleased to have been accepted into the Tucson Legacy Business Registry. This City of Tucson registry recognizes independently-owned businesses that have been conducting business in Tucson for at least 25 years and have contributed to the community’s history and/or identity. Visit our Facebook page…
Copper Springs East photos added to rammed earth gallery page. Last week our foreman, Garth, snapped a few photos of rammed earth walls we constructed in 2019 for the Copper Springs East Behavioral Health Hospital in Gilbert, AZ. Scroll down to check out the multi-hued…
National Geographic UK article highlights Mercado District businesses.
In a January 2nd post, travel writer Abbie Kozolchyk enthuses about delicacies from Dolce Pastello and Seis Kitchen at Mercado San Agustin. Her piece about the best US city for Mexican food is illustrated with a photo of PureBuild built homes in the Mercado District….
Beguiling images of sculpture
In June 2020, we completed construction of an architectural sculpture in Cochise County, designed by Paris-based artist and architect, David Telerman. Additional aerial and detail photos of the work can now be viewed on the Atelier David Telerman website. The night time images (number 16…
PureBuild client fireplace featured in Houzz Ideabook.
A kiva fireplace located in an “outdoor room” in our clients’ home was featured in Houzz’s 20 Feel-Good Fireplaces Warm Your Spirits Ideabook (scroll down to number 18). Other photos of this charming, Southwestern-style Mercado house can be seen on our gallery page. Houzz is…
Architect Michael Becherer extols Mercado’s community ambiance.
Sunday’s Arizona Daily Star published Mercado District accolades from notable Tucson architect, Michael Becherer. “As we move out of this global pandemic, our community needs to have more spaces like this throughout the community. Spaces that encourage our community to come together in a way…
The Art of Earth Architecture
The Art of Earth Architecture, a new book by Jean Dethier explores earth architecture through the centuries and around the world and advocates for the resurgence of this ancient technology to help address climate change. The Tucson Mountain House designed by preeminent Tucson architect, Rick…
Tucson Business Radio Interviews Tom Wuelpern
On Saturday, host Carol Nigut interviewed Tom Wuelpern for Tucson Business Radio. During their in depth, far-ranging dialogue, Tom discussed the his background, his design philosophy, the history of PureBuild, the genesis and trajectory of the Mercado District, as well as the unique aspects of…
Otherworldly art project
In May, we completed construction of a visionary architectural sculpture by Paris-based architect David Telerman. Working with Zona Decorative Concrete & Construction, LLC. we were able to bring this incomparable work into the physical realm. Located in the desert valley of Cochise County, the concrete…
Mercado District Community Comes Together
Mercado District residents united in solidarity last week while observing the social distancing advice recommended by health officials. Congregating on balconies and roof-top patios, this event was captured by photographer Daniel Hartman using drone photography. See images of this uplifting neighborhood spirit on our facebook…
Check out new images in the Mercado District gallery
We’ve added images of a recently completed home in Mercado District. Many thanks to our generous clients who welcome us into their beautiful homes so we can share photos of their projects.
PureBuild video
Check out the video that Cox Media put together about us in honor of Tom Wuelpern being a Copper Cactus Small Business Leader of the Year finalist. The nomination highlighted Tom’s commitment to enhancing communities, such as the Mercado District and Barrio Santa Rosa, as…
Tom Wuelpern nominated as Small Business Leader of the Year
Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce recently announced that PureBuild president Tom Wuelpern is a finalist for the Copper Cactus 2019 Small Business Leader of the Year award.
Purebuild named in top Tucson Home Builder List
PureBuild appears in Home Builders Digest’s list of the 15 best custom home builders in Tucson! They represented our work with a photo of a two story rammed earth house we built near Rio Rico, Arizona.
NY Times travel article recommends Mercado San Agustin
The New York Times recommended the Mercado San Agustin and Mission Garden in their “36 Hours In…” feature on Tucson this Sunday. These destinations are among the Mercado District attractions – easy walking distance from our Mercado District homes.
Article on Yakhchal selects photo of PureBuild built walls
A photo of rammed earth walls built by PureBuild was recently included in an article about historic evaporative cooling structures (Yakhchal) employed in Iran. Check out the “Ice Storage and the Function of a Dome” tab in the article to see the photo of our…
“World’s Most Extraordinary Homes” features PureBuild house!
“The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes” showcased a house that PureBuild built rammed earth walls for. This magnificent modernist desert home was designed by DUST architects.