The owners wanted to immerse their home in the natural beauty of the site—leaving it visually open to the environment and physically connected to the changing seasons. Awareness of the seasonal cycle is an underlying theme which influenced the precise siting of the house and geometry of the structure. The design reflects a Japanese aesthetic of beauty in a fluid, open space linked to the natural site.

The house sits 200 feet downhill from the street, providing privacy for the owners while improving views of a nearby canyon; its linear orientation follows the hillside terrain. A fold in the geometry occurs due east, forming an east/west centerline that serves as the functional and symbolic datum of the home—separating public and private areas and providing a stationary element to emphasize seasonal changes. The central room of the house frames the seasonal changes in the sky. It is breathtaking when the sun or moon rises at due east, directly above the point defined by the pool wall.

The house features a range of materials from steel to stone to aluminum. Precise detailing in the design allows full expression of these materials and construction techniques by exposing and layering the contrasting systems.

An existing stone barn served as the inspiration and anchor for this 3,200 square foot residence in the Texas Hill Country. The barn was renovated and converted into the main house. The second floor of the barn, once a hay loft, became an open space encompassing the living room and kitchen, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms on the first floor. Dormers added to the north and south roof walls provide ventilation and offer views of the Hill Country. The barn and studio are connected by an angled screened porch, which pivots at a large live oak tree. The screened porch follows the outline of the barn’s gambrel roof with a steel frame. A catwalk near the tree offers a direct path between living room and studio. A folding glass wall on the living room side, and French doors at the studio, provide natural ventilation.

This project required sensitivity to both the natural environment and the historic barn. Where possible, we left the original barn materials (stone, wood and tin) exposed, and tried to keep the material palette for the new structures complementary.

The primary design goal of this family home was to make gathering with friends and family easy and comfortable. We were to find places inside and out for members of this active family to find quiet and privacy in some small corner.

The property was originally the homestead of a family who owned a dairy farm on the surrounding land. A portion of the original home was left in place and remodeled into a small guest cottage/pool house. Despite the home being located in the central part of Austin now, a relaxed, rural feel was preserved by breaking down the scale of the home into connected structures. A screened porch, the circular space which connects the main areas of the house both visually and spatially, uses the roof and the sun position to mark special occasions for the family, which are engraved in the stone floor.

This home was designed to fit into Austin’s eclectic Hyde Park neighborhood and to meet the owners’ desire for a “monastically simple space, filled with light.” The architects sited the new building near the street to preserve the existing 1939 cottage at the rear of the property and to create a private courtyard between the two structures. Deep porches on both the ground and second floors overlook this courtyard and the magnificent sycamore tree enclosed within it.

The clients wanted a fluid plan with little preference given to interior over exterior living, a logical demand in such a moderate climate. The building was designed as one continuous space with few full-height partitions; it feels open and bright, with large windows and abundant natural light. A NanaWall window system divides the living room and kitchen from the deep rear porch. When opened, the boundary between interior and exterior dissolves, extending the living and dining areas onto the covered porch and into the backyard.

Exterior walls parallel the street while interior partitions align with true north. The cardinal axis is marked by a solid, stone fireplace that serves as an anchor against which the residents are made aware of the daily and seasonal swing of sunlight. The angle of the bar between the kitchen and living room, along with wood flooring running north/south, subtly reinforce this awareness.

The design of this 6,600 sf new residence responds to the dual character of the site. The street side of the home respects the quiet, genteel ambiance of the “old-Austin” neighborhood, while the lake side of the home connects with the bustling, waterfront of Lake Austin. The steep topography zones the lower level, lake-active area for the children. The upper, street level zone of the house accommodates the main living areas, master bedroom and garages.

The plan of the residence also reflects this ‘double-sided’ approach. The street side massing is orthogonal-transitioning to curvilinear ‘waterfront’ wings beyond the entry space. Natural sandstone (inside and out), wood siding, large soffits and copper gutters give the home an informal, relaxed feel appropriate to the owner, the site and the city.

The Lake Austin Residence Boat House was designed to extend the family’s gathering and gardening space above the water. Situated adjacent to the existing house in order to preserve views, the 1,300 sf boat house demonstrates a new way to garden. The first floor is the boat dock which houses the boat slips, kayaks and storage areas. Almost half of the second floor is dedicated to a raised, vegetable roof garden, while a cool and shaded screened porch occupies the remainder of the second level.

This residence was designed for a family of three on a site overlooking Lake Travis. The design is a resolution of massing shaped to visually screen surrounding structures to achieve ‘postcard’ views from inside.

The layout of the home divides its functions into two modules so that the building has future flexibility for division into multiple units if desired. One module sits rearward on the site to retain the existing large pecan tree’s southern shading. The solid stone front facades buffer the industrial neighborhood noise, while the living areas focus inward and open up to the rear yard and koi pond.

High window bands along with eight foot interior walls allow daylight to fill the house evenly. Slatted wood ceilings create an acoustical baffle while concealing the HVAC, electrical and overhead plumbing. Sprayed foam insulation, PEX piping, independent operation of either module, calculated overhangs, tankless water heater, rainwater collection, infill lot, proximity to community functions and many other green components earned the home a local ‘5-Star Rating’ for sustainability.

The efficiency of simple forms with open spaces, windows placement between studs, pre-fabricated trusses, standardized modular cabinetry and natural concrete floor are among the cost effective components that kept the construction affordable.

The addition for the Castle Ridge house has two primary design agendas: First was to create a new master bedroom, connected to the main house via a long gallery space. This created a private wing with spectacular views of the Hill Country for the home owners. Second was to create an open, airy home for gatherings of this large, extended family. An entertainment space below the new master bedroom provides another ‘getaway’ and opens to the large, wooded site at the lower level.

The design of the Remodel and Addition located in the Historic Hyde Park Neighborhood, aimed to satisfy the client’s desires to expand their living quarters, while preserving the history and character of the house and area. The project entailed converting a bedroom into a living space, and connecting it to an open kitchen. An office, master bedroom and bath were created by constructing a second floor. A new, detached garage and game room structure was designed to connect to the main house by way of a bridge. By incorporating many of the details of the original 1920’s house into the new design, along with positioning the new upper story toward the rear of the house, the project was successfully integrated into the character of the surrounding neighborhood.

This house in central Austin was envisioned as a treehouse: all of the trees on the heavily wooded site were preserved by weaving the house around them on the narrow, hillside lot. The design is an attempt to balance the functions of the workplace with the repose of the home, and the preservation of the natural site with the building of shelter. Hidden from the street by the foliage, this home/studio is molded into the hill, giving the impression that the natural landscape grew around it.

The floorplan has an hourglass shape. This organization expresses the owner’s need for separate living, working and guest spaces. The bridge connection between two larger masses is created by the entry landing at the top of the exterior stone stair.

This remodeled home on Lake Austin was limited by ordinance to stay within the existing foundation footprint. The home is oriented to the northeast, with a view of the lake and hillside. Large operable windows provide effective daylighting and take advantage of prevailing winds while minimizing sun exposure for main living areas.

A 25,000 gallon rainwater system is used for primary water in the home. A variety of sustainable systems were incorporated to create a livable, economical home including durable, low-maintenance finishes and low VOC finishes. As a remodel, care was taken to reuse salvaged materials—those materials that were not reused on the project were either donated to a local non-profit home repair program or recycled.

This modest weekend house was designed for a young family of four with the option for expansion in the future, when the home becomes their permanent residence. The residence opens toward spectacular views of the Blanco River Valley and surrounding hills to the south. The western and northern sides of the house are more solid, offering privacy and protection from the Texas sun and winter winds. The floor plan is ‘Z’ shaped and open, with central living areas and a large porch to capture the primary views.

The clients wanted construction of their home to have a minimal environmental impact. The house uses local limestone, large overhangs, screened porches that take advantage of prevailing winds, daylighting (with high windows located under the eaves), a rain water harvesting system, and efficient, small-zoned AC systems. In siting the building, care was taken to preserve existing trees. Because of its part-time occupancy status, low-maintenance features were also favored. These elements include metal panel exterior siding and sealed concrete floors.

Travis County, Texas

Spicewood, Texas

Spicewood, TX

Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas

Lakeway, Texas