D U S T is an alliance of architects, craftspeople, artists, designers, and builders with practices rooted in the master-builder tradition: a collective of people grounded firmly in the tactile, in pursuit of the intangible.

Profile

We have learned to move through our world as keen observers and listeners – continually looking for those moments that move us to our core. Those guiding the way have been our mentors, elders, nature, and the poets and artists of our time.

We listen first, and then respond –to the elements, to the marks and lessons left by those who have lived here before, to the spirit and culture of place, and to our fellow dreamers: the clients.

Cade Manning Hayes

Jesús Edmundo Robles, Jr.

Natalia Zieman Hayes

Jerrick Lee Tsosie

Jacob Downard

Artina Qehaja

Agustin Larrain

Tania Verdugo

Cade Manning Hayes
Founding Principal
AIA
Registered Architect: Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Utah
cade@dustarchitects.com
520.270.4205

Originally from Carlsbad, New Mexico, it was the experiences of the Chihuahuan Desert that nourished his dreams and memories of place. He moved to Lubbock, Texas in 1997 to study architecture at Texas Tech University’s Master of Architecture program. Upon receiving his degree in 2002, he relocated to Tucson, Arizona, and worked as part of the design team of Studio Rick Joy for five years.

Cade has been one of the founding/managing principals of D U S T since its establishment in 2007. Each of the works shows a heightened sensitivity to place and the environment, expanding the discourse on lifestyle in harmony with the environment.

In addition to practice, Cade has served on national design juries, has been a visiting instructor at Texas Tech University, and has taught Land Ethics design studios and Material Fabrication courses at the University of Arizona.

Notable Project Experience

Tucson Mountain Retreat – Tucson, Arizona
Casa Caldera – San Rafael Valley, Arizona
Wildlife Pavilion – Patagonia, Arizona
Amangiri Resort and Spa – Canyon Point, Utah (under Studio Rick Joy)
Desert Nomad House – Tucson, Arizona (under Studio Rick Joy)
Adobe Canyon House – Sonoita, Arizona (under Studio Rick Joy)
Tree House Residence – Napa Valley California (under Studio Rick Joy)
Ventana Canyon House – Tucson, Arizona (under Studio Rick Joy)
Bahia Balandra Master Plan – Baja California, Mexico (under Studio Rick Joy)
St. Edward’s Chapel and Master Plan – Austin, Texas (under Studio Rick Joy)

Jesús Edmundo Robles, Jr.
Founding Principal
Associate AIA
Assistant Professor of Practice, University of Arizona College of Architecture
Contracting Licenses: AZ ROC 266829, 277848
jesus@dustarchitects.com
520.358.1818

Originally from the Southwestern United States, Jesús spent much of his youth traveling the landscapes between Southern California and Texas. Jesús studied architecture in Lubbock, Texas, at Texas Tech University’s Master of Architecture program, earning his degree in 2003.

Since then, he has cut a unique path to expand and hone his craft, gaining over 18 years of architectural design, project management, construction, and construction management experience.

Jesús has been one of the founding/managing principals of D U S T since its establishment in 2007. Each of the works shows an investigation into sustainable material development, articulation of craft throughout the design and build processes, and contributes to the discourse of phenomenology and place in architecture.

In addition to practice, Jesus has contributed to Platform, a publication of the University of Texas at Austin, and is an instructor at the University of Arizona teaching design studios and Material Fabrication.

Notable Project Experience

· Tucson Mountain Retreat – Tucson, Arizona
· Casa Caldera – San Rafael Valley, Arizona
· Wildlife Pavilion – Patagonia, Arizona
· Lava House – Tucson, Arizona (under Paul Weiner | Design-Build Collaborative, Inc.)
· Desert Nomad House – Tucson, Arizona (under Studio Rick Joy)
· Adobe Canyon House – Sonoita, Arizona (under Studio Rick Joy)
· SIX – San Diego, California (under Sebastian Mariscal Studio)
· Western Maryland Regional Hospital – Cumberland, Maryland (under Hord|Coplan|Macht)
· DFW International Terminal D (under Corgan Associates)

Natalia Zieman Hayes
Senior Designer & Project Manager
Associate AIA
natalia@dustarchitects.com

Originally from Dallas, Texas, Natalia earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin.

Natalia’s professional experience covers a range of project types. She has brought residential, cultural, luxury hospitality, master planning, and urban mixed-use projects to life, many of which have been widely recognized. She has overseen the full development of projects through their construction and has directed the collaboration and coordination of large project teams for multi-faceted projects.

Her prior work experience includes over 10 years at Studio Rick Joy, where she played a pivotal role in designing and managing the studio’s work and team. She has also worked for offices in Santiago, Chile, and Dallas, Texas.

She is passionate about designing spaces that are both conceptual and sensitive in spirit while honoring the connection to the surrounding environment and cultural roots. Natalia regularly participates in student design reviews at the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Notable Project Experience

Princeton University Transit Hall, Market, Restaurant and Café – Princeton, New Jersey (under Studio Rick Joy)
Tennyson 205 – Mexico City, Mexico (under Studio Rick Joy)
Bayhouse – Northeast USA (under Studio Rick Joy)
Sun Valley House – Sun Valley, Idaho (under Studio Rick Joy)
Masterplan for the One&Only Resort at Mandarina – Nayarit, Mexico (under Studio Rick Joy)
Nicanor Parra Library – Santiago, Chile (under Mathias Klotz Architect)

Jerrick Lee Tsosie
Designer
Associate AIA
jerrick@dustarchitects.com

Originally from Rock Point, Arizona, Jerrick grew up on the Navajo reservation. Living in a rural area of Arizona, he found himself becoming interested in the outdoors and spent most of his time being curious about the land around him.

Jerrick moved to Tucson, Arizona to study architecture in 2015 at the University of Arizona College of Architecture, and graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor in Architecture.

Over the course of two summers in 2017 and 2018, he took part in Dalhousie Costal Studio’s design build projects in Nova Scotia, Canada, working as a builder for a gridshell pavilion for Cape Breton Highlands National Park. This experience expanded his learning, working in a different climate and with different materials than typical in Arizona. He very much has a drive to be hands on and work with real materials in his architectural practice. Jerrick has also previously worked with Space Bureau for almost two years in Tucson, designing retail and residential projects.

Jacob Downard
Designer

Born and raised in Flagstaff Az, Jacob grew up spending most of his time exploring his surroundings and experiencing nature in an aptitude of mediums. From building countless forts in the Coconino national forest at a young age, to long distance adventure cycling and backcountry skiing. He is a strong believer that humans thrive with connections to nature, and is always seeking the next landscape, familiar or unfamiliar.

After early experience in various creative realms from fabrication to photography, Jacob found himself in the Bachelor of Architecture program at the University of Arizona to broaden his creative pursuits after he received the advice “if you can design a building, you can design almost anything.” Jacob quickly fell in love with the practice of architecture… despite the late nights.

Finishing up his 5th year of school, he is excited to open the next chapter of his life cultivating his life in Tucson. Working with DUST has been a dream come true, to be involved in work that is rooted in place, practice of craft and moments of calm in our modern day.

Artina Qehaja
Designer
artina@dustarchitects.com

Originally from the Balkan Peninsula, Artina’s architectural approach is shaped by Ancient Mediterranean culture. Walking the streets of the Ancient Agora and the temples of the Acropolis shaped her views on beauty and symmetry.

In 2013, she moved to Milan, Italy to study Architecture, earning her Masters degree at the Politecnico di Milano. During this period, she collaborated closely with Californian architectural historian Richard Ingersoll, assisting with research and editorial work.

Before joining DUST, she worked and received mentorship in Milan, absorbing the Italian design approach with a focus on residential and retail architecture. This exposure included diverse projects, allowing her involvement in all design phases.

In 2020, she collaborated with UNHCR, designing a rammed-earth transit center in the Saharan desert in response to one of the biggest refugee crises recorded in history.

The desert continues to be a subject of fascination and she aims to contribute to DUST’s Modern Vernacular philosophy by creating spaces that enhance feelings of closeness and well-being rooted to place.

Agustin Larrain
Designer
agustin@dustarchitects.com

Originally from Santiago, Chile, Agustin earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

Growing up by the Andes mountains, he turned his attention to the landscape, its cultures, and the precarious building techniques that exist throughout South America. He is interested in how low-tech architecture, local processes, and vernacular techniques can provide a high experiential impact.

He has worked on various residential and cultural projects, expanding internationally through design and art. His collaborations include working for artist-curator Jan Frank in New York city, as well as Studio Rick Joy in Tucson and in his native city Santiago, Chile with Matias Zegers.

Tania Verdugo
Operations
tania@dustarchitects.com

Originally from Sonora, MX, Tania keeps the studio moving.

Tania is a graphic and visual artist, self-taught in the mediums of watercolor, graphite, and digital. Tania is an all-around badass as you can find her foraging the land when she isn’t creating. She’s inspired by everyday human emotions, and our relationship between humans and nature.