As a result of this harsh climate, Neutra had to consider how various architectural, spatial, and material elements of the building would encompass the weather and react to it in order to keep the house a pleasant and comfortable place. The ways in which he responded to the climate was by both choosing and locating particular materials that react well to intense weather changes, as well as by placing apertures and overhangs in places to allow natural ventilation and indirect sunlight.
The building was designed to appear floating, and thus steel and glass are used throughout the house to keep it light and airy, while thicker slabs float above. Besides steel and glass, a third noticeable material in the house is seen in the thick stone walls. Masonry is known for having a high thermal mass, meaning it mediates the temperature by slowly absorbing heat during the day when it is hot outside, and then releasing thermal energy at night when it is cooler outside. Since deserts experience high temperature fluctuations from daytime to nighttime, the stone walls work well to prevent the inside of the building of becoming too hot by slowing down the transfer of heat energy. In addition to heat prevention, masonry also acts as a strong boundary against wind, especially in a desert when sand, dust and other forms of dry, loose debris often get carried through the air. Figure 3 below shows a plan of the Kaufmann House and highlights the thick masonry walls in brown. As seen in the diagram, the walls are placed in a way that they protect spaces from the northwest winds, as well as give the more private, enclosed rooms in the house protection from the heat. However, in such intense desert heat, thermal mass alone cannot provide enough temperature mediation to create a comfortable environment.