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…
News & Media
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.
Houzz features PureBuild in photo flip
Houzz.com (a website devoted to design and building ideas) included a home we built in the Mercado District in their “50 Festive Holiday Doors” photo flip. Scroll down to #33 to see how our client celebrated the season with chili pepper wreaths – a classic…
Tucsontopia extols our Mercado architectural style
Tucsontopia, a website dedicated to showcasing the best of Tucson, extols the colorful architecture of the Mercado District in their “45 Reasons to Move to Tucson“. (#43 on their list of great reasons to live in Tucson).
PureBuild profiled in AZ Daily Star
PureBuild was profiled in the Arizona Daily Star last month. The article by Gabriela Rico reports on PureBuild’s history, projects and design ethos. Thank you Gabriela for your splendid article. We are proud to be contributing to the architectural landscape of Tucson.
Rammed earth desert home in West Elm catalog
West Elm, a furniture and home decorating company that specializes in sustainable, handcrafted manufacturing, selected a custom home with rammed earth walls by PureBuild as the backdrop for their April catalog. PureBuild Inc collaborated with the Dust group of architects to help produce their modernist…
Global Traveler Magazine mentions PureBuild
PureBuild and the Mercado District are mentioned in the September 2015 edition of Global Traveler. Global Traveler reports on destinations for luxury business travelers. The September issue spotlights downtown Tucson in “Hot Time in Tucson: A revitalized downtown radiates with creative possibilities.” We are delighted…
PureBuild now licensed in California
PureBuild Inc. is now a licensed contractor in the state of California and offers rammed earth wall building services there.
Travel and Leisure’s Coolest Outdoor Showers
“Outdoor showers give you a chance to feel at one with nature without roughing it” declares Travel and Leisure Magazine. An outdoor shower created by Purebuild at the acclaimed Miraval resort is showcased in this feature. http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/coolest-outdoor-hotel-showers/11
Tucson Lifestyle Home and Garden features Mercado home.
Our clients’ lovely Mercado home graces the cover of the August 2014 Tucson Lifestyle Home and Garden magazine. The accompanying article highlights their lush plantings, outdoor living spaces, and eco-friendly features, as well as the colonial Mexican influence of the architecture, finish details and decor. …
The Modern Streetcar has arrived!
The Modern Streetcar has arrived! The Grand Opening Celebration at the Mercado District was attended by an estimated 60000 citizens this weekend.
It takes a village
The Mercado District is featured in the latest edition of 3StoryMagazine. 3StoryMagazine is a monthly online publication which reports on Tucson’s thriving design, architecture and arts scene. “It Takes a Village” celebrates the unique manner in which the design of the Mercado District’s homes and…
Listen to Tom Wuelpern on Dr. Zara Larsen’s Architects of Change radio program.
Listen to Tom Wuelpern on Dr. Zara Larsen’s Architects of Change radio program. Tom discusses PureBuild’s work at the Mercado District. Topics covered include designing urban housing which balances the desire for both community interaction and privacy, his inspiration from historic development and the ongoing…