Few interpret this relationship between climate and craft as clearly as Mark G. Brotton, principal designer and founder of Living Water Irrigation & Landscape. Rooted in environmental responsibility and an intimate sense of how people inhabit outdoor space, his practice treats the high desert as both inspiration and constraint—an environment that demands clarity of intention and rewards design that honors its rhythms.

 Based in Santa Fe, Brotton has earned international recognition for landscapes that connect people with nature in enduring, meaningful ways. His work embraces drought-tolerant plant communities, avoids pesticides, and responds to climate change, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss. Through full-service design, planning, irrigation strategy, installation, and maintenance, his firm creates outdoor environments that evolve gracefully over time. Whether an intimate courtyard or a large-scale desert master plan, each project emerges from a collaborative, people-focused process—reflecting the belief that lasting landscapes are shaped as much by relationships as they are by design principles.

When it comes to outdoor kitchens, Brotton finds that the first misconception he discovers with clients is often the simplest - not budget or choice of material, but where the kitchen should go. In the Desert Climate, placement becomes a form of climate intelligence. Site positioning determines whether snow and ice linger in winter, whether summer heat becomes unbearable, and how winds will channel through gathering areas. When positioned just a few degrees off ideal orientation, a kitchen and gathering place can become functionally dormant for stretches of the year.

For Brotton, foundational conversations about exposure, solar access, and wind behavior guide every design decision—long before appliances or finishes enter the discussion.

Desert conditions are often imagined as simply hot, but the reality is more volatile. Brotton notes, “Our winters are not that extreme as far as the amount of snow that accumulates, but we do have extremely low temperatures at times.” In Santa Fe’s high desert, the greater challenge is the dramatic annual temperature range: “In Santa Fe in particular (High Desert) we have annual temperature swings of 75º or more.”

This variability makes positioning and siting strategies even more essential. Brotton emphasizes that “It’s wiser to place our kitchens in an exposure that gets winter sun to reduce snow and ice lingering too long in winter.” Such orientation allows outdoor kitchens to remain truly functional year-round, not merely decorative amenities.

Once the siting and placement are determined, selecting materials designed to handle thermal stress is next. In this climate, countertops require uncommon durability: “They need to be bullet proof materials to handle our extremely intense UV sunlight due to our high elevations. This is also why Kalamazoo is a great partner with their premier stainless-steel units surviving through such extreme temperature swings from winter to summer.”

“Another consideration in our environment is wind screening,” he continues. “Our winds can at times be over 50 miles per hour.” The goal is not simply to protect the kitchen per se, but to safeguard the experience of cooking and gathering—even in challenging weather.

A desert kitchen, as Brotton describes it, should be deeply usable, not ornamental. “Using your outdoor kitchen as much as possible is my main goal. I don’t design them to be a ‘nice amenity to look at.’ I believe getting use out of the kitchen is a win.” Conversely, a kitchen that is visually appealing but functionally dormant misses the point entirely: “On the flip side just looking at the kitchen through your window doesn’t cut it.’”

 Function begins with a comprehensive set of cooking options. Brotton says, “I like to include a comprehensive approach to the outdoor kitchen environment’s units. Allow for grilling (Hybrid Grill), Pizza Oven, Gaucho Grill, Refrigerator, Prep surfaces, and Prep Sink.” This breadth supports flexibility and creativity in meal preparation. “If my clients aren’t keen on this approach I try to get at least three different grilling units in the project included with their preferences. A refrigerator and sink might not be a reality, so I forgo those.”

In an environment whose intense pressure demands that plants and animals constantly adapt, outdoor kitchens can become unexpected habitats for rodents and pests: “We get many rodents wanting to make outdoor kitchens especially closed grill units their ‘outdoor hotel.’” Brotton’s response is architectural—tight tolerances, sealed gaps, and design strategies that minimize intrusion. His firm’s year-round maintenance services reinforce the commitment to functional longevity.

For all its challenges, the Desert Climate offers profound rewards, especially at dusk. Brotton shares, “The creative use of natural stone is one of my most rewarding experiences in designing outdoor kitchens in the High Desert environs.” Stone becomes both structure and storytelling medium—absorbing heat by day, releasing it slowly as temperatures fall.

The pleasures of the desert evening are also extended through the considered application of light. “I also love creating a kitchen that clients will enjoy into the evenings with carefully curated FX Luminaire outdoor LED Lighting,” he continues, “The outdoor lighting lets them use their grill and entertain well into the evening, allowing for wonderful events in gathering spaces for great times with family and friends.”

In the Desert Climate, outdoor kitchens must be adaptive, materially resilient, and grounded in an understanding of place. Brotton’s approach—shaped by ecological responsibility, sensitivity to climate change, and a belief in meaningful human connection—reminds us that designing for this region is not merely a technical exercise. It is a practice rooted in honoring climate and landscape with precision and intent.

Around the world, each climate reveals distinct tensions that drive material innovation, shape local aesthetics, and influence ways of living. In the desert, that energy lives between heat and shadow, exposure and refuge, rugged materiality and refined experience. As the desert’s native plants and animals have long demonstrated, resilience evolves into beauty, and design transforms climatic extremes into clear, intentional responses to place.

Orient for Seasonal Sun

Winter sun exposure is essential in the high desert, where low temperatures can linger even without heavy snow. Smart siting shortens ice duration and keeps kitchens usable across more of the year.

Specify UV-Resistance

Extreme solar intensity at elevation demands countertops and finishes that will not fade, warp, or weaken. “Bullet proof” materials become a design baseline.

Prepare for High Winds

With gusts reaching 50+ mph, wind screening is fundamental. Strategic walls, plantings, or portal structures protect cooking zones and preserve comfort.

Plan for Use

A desert kitchen succeeds when it is lived in rather than admired from indoors. Functional flexibility—multiple grills, clear prep areas, and durable appliances—turns climate constraints into everyday opportunity.

Protect from Wildlife

Rodents are an active presence in arid environments. Tight tolerances, sealed joints, and thoughtful storage planning protect equipment and support long-term maintenance.

Capture the Glow

The desert at dusk is one of the region’s greatest luxuries. Considered, layered lighting and the use of natural stone holds residual warmth and helps outdoor kitchens transition beautifully into night.