Construction Diary: In the Mojave Desert, a First-Time Builder Takes On a Tricky Prefab Home

Assuming the role of contractor, Julie Park works through trials and tribulations to construct a Blue Sky house with a complex metal roof.

Mar 28, 2024 - 18:34

Construction Diary: In the Mojave Desert, a First-Time Builder Takes On a Tricky Prefab Home

Assuming the role of contractor, Julie Park works through trials and tribulations to construct a Blue Sky house with a complex metal roof.

The home is currently being rented out to recoup some building costs, and the owners are considering a permanent move after their daughter leaves for college.

Julie Park had a vision. After building a career in the fashion industry, which had her traveling to Paris, New York, and Hong Kong in a continuous loop, she wanted a quiet place where she could reconnect with her husband, Nathan, and their teenage daughter, Hana. They’re based in Los Angeles, so the idea of driving two hours east to the desert on weekends seemed ideal.

The home was constructed by prefab company Blue Sky Building Systems, which uses metal as a primary material. — Homeowner Julie Park ordered the home’s components from the prefab company Blue Sky Building Systems, and she hired architect Andrew Goodwin to assist with structural engineering and permits.
Photo by John Park

Julie had the front door custom-made of wood and set on a pivot, so that it would be a textural focal point on either side of its opening. — Julie had the wooden front door custom made and set on a pivot. Its color and vertical texture contrasts with the horizontal cladding on either side.
Photo by John Park

A trip to the Mojave Desert strengthened their resolve. "When I’m traveling, I don’t pay attention to the location as much as the architecture," Julie says. "We stayed in a beautiful rental property, and that’s how everything started." The couple dreamed of building a second home in the area, so they started saving—and by 2019, after about three years of penny-pinching, they felt comfortable enough with the size of their nest egg to start looking for land in Yucca Valley.

Julie decided to design the home herself using the prefabricated Blue Sky Building System, and the company connected her with architect Andrew Goodwin to help bring the project to life.