This Hill Country Lodge uses large timber framing and stones hand selected from a quarry in Leuder, Texas to evoke the organic park lodges of the 1930’s Civilian Conservation Corp. The broad overhangs create porches that limit the evening summer sun and open out to embrace the view to the east.

The family living spaces are surrounded by nooks for the fireplace and cooking center, and open to a large screen porch anchored by an outdoor fireplace. The bedroom wing offers separate outdoor vistas for each room, spaces tailored for displays, outdoor gear and a wine cellar.

The residence uses a SIPS panel roof, advanced engineered studs with high density foam and a high density insulation board to create a weather jacket around the entire structure. Thermal wells were installed to reduce the heating and cooling load.

Located in Corrales, New Mexico this Ranch Residence is a new interpretation of the indigenous Territorial Style architecture. Its thick walls and overhanging porches reduce the impact of the sun and provide four covered sitting areas oriented to allow outdoor living all day. Careful collaboration with the owner created comfortable, highly individualized, and intimate living spaces that capture views of Sandia Peak.

Sitting on a bluff above Barton Springs this new residence and its free standing enoteca use traditional massing to fit into the rugged Hill Country landscape.  The natural environment is encouraged to encroach on the porches and blur the line between inside and out, while the modern, light filled interior provides a studio backdrop for the art gallery inside.

Evocative of the traditional Hill Country homestead this house ties simple masonry shapes together with a timber and concrete trellis. The exterior materials extend seamlessly into the interior creating a dramatic octagonal entry hall, family room and dining room, then flow out to a covered courtyard. The courtyard is the central living space with its fireplace and gabled ceiling.  Massive forged iron ceiling fixtures were designed by the architect in collaboration with blacksmith, Lars Stanley.

Located on a terraced, tree covered lot in the hills of west Austin this house connects two groves of oak trees by a canopy roof supported on tall corrugated metal trunks. The canopy roof raises a large airy porch to the east and dips low over the southwest facing porches. Large patterned windows bring dappled light into the kitchen and living spaces. The owners requested shared living spaces and separate work spaces. The work spaces and their balconies are tucked under the upper eaves of the canopy and are connected by an interior bridge. The owner/artist made many of the light fixtures and designed all the tile patterns.

This modern seaside residence is located on the sugar sand beaches of Santa Rosa Island, Florida. The residence has an informal dockside exterior that belies its upscale interior living spaces. The design has three master suites, a bunk suite and an office to accommodate an extended family and all their guests.

All the exterior wood siding, flooring and trim is local cypress milled for this project.

Located in the hills west of Austin this residence was inspired by the Spanish Mediterranean Revival Style. An antique Spanish gate leads into a courtyard with a colonnaded porch and wall fountain. The two story great hall ties the formal living spaces to the upper sleeping quarters and master suite. Both the great hall and living room open to a breeze oriented loggia that leads to the pool terrace. Stone window surrounds, fireplaces, columns and wall fountains were designed specifically for this project. The restricted lot dimensions created a challenge to accommodate the four bedrooms, five baths, three car garage, pool and courtyard.

The owners of this 1940’s cottage located in Redwood City, California needed to accommodate their growing family and provide access to their backyard from their living spaces. The solution was to add a new second floor master suite and office, renovate and add new baths downstairs, gut and expand the kitchen and breakfast area, and add a new porch along the back of the breakfast area to access the backyard. All this had to be invisible from the front elevation and fit in with the existing West Coast Bungalow style. To accomplish this the new second floor addition was tucked behind the existing roof line by dropping the new ceiling height and adding gables with windows to the master suite and office spaces to provide light and headroom. A new interior stair was carved from the existing first floor hall and bedroom closet. Clerestory windows at the top of the stair allowed light into the center of the house. The second story addition gave the owners the opportunity to upgrade the entire structure for local seismic conditions.  The resulting addition blends with and enhances the original structure while allowing the owner’s family to enjoy their entire property.

Located on a quiet street of Craftsman Bungalows this new residence cheerfully accommodates its neighbors and two large centrally located heritage oak trees. Careful planning was required to fit the program around the trees. Service spaces, and the master suite were aligned along the east property line to allow the living room to extend between the trees and connect the shaded front and rear courtyards. The dining, kitchen and library open onto a plunge pool in the rear courtyard. The tall first floor living spaces are offset by cozy second floor office and guest rooms that tuck within the low roof and dormers. A variety of upstairs and downstairs porches makes the owner’s outdoor lifestyle possible all day.

Simple vernacular Hill County massing and materials tie this new ranch house to its local roots. The central living room and massive fireplace are the traditional large masonry structure that anchors the pinwheel of wood sided bedroom wing, master suite, and kitchen wing. Between each wing and attached to the living room are three large porches, each facing a different direction to allow outdoor living and eating throughout the day. 

Designed with owner and ceramicist, Claudia Reese, the goal was to have fun, add a residence to an existing studio compound, renovate a design studio into a kitchen and living area, rebuild an existing chicken coop into a cottage, and maximize surfaces for tile and sculpture installation.

The main residence is built of compressed earth block with a breathable, brightly colored lime plaster finish. The exposed wood columns and beams were salvaged from a clear cut site in Webberville, Texas and the trim was from a recycled house.  There are four decorated 5,000 gallon rainwater collection tanks and 5,000 kilowatts of solar energy. The functions of the house are spread between the various structures and connected by a trellis.  

Claudia created tall ceramic chimney pots and full size ceramic caryatids to support the porch roof. The house, pool, bathrooms, kitchen, base boards, and ceiling molding are all from Claudia’s kiln.

CasAlegre is constantly evolving. Presently a new “Bathing Temple” is being added to the end of the pool.

These Hill Country vacation cottages are inspired by a multi-generational family's original simple vacation cabin. The cottages encircle several large oak clusters and sit back from the edge of a ridge looking east over the Guadalupe and Medina River Valleys. The new central lodge is a kitchen and dining room attached to a screened living room with a fireplace. Two bedroom cottages are attached by an open loggia that encourages the southeast breezes. The configuration will allow cottages to be added as the family grows.  

The couple who purchased this existing 1940’s Cottage needed more room for their growing family, including offices, a music room, play room and bedrooms. They also wanted to access the backyard. The existing warren of dark rooms was broken open by minimizing walls between the living room, dining and kitchen and rebuilding the kitchen to open on a new back porch. A new library/hall and sun lit stair well brought light into the center of the house and eased circulation. To create the new living spaces a second story was added for the bedrooms and utility room. Both floors reoriented spaces toward the backyard maximizing private views and light. The scale of the addition was minimized to tuck behind the front elevation.

Located on a rise in the midst of the technology hub of north Austin this hotel and lodge melds the dynamic energy of the area with a friendly community atmosphere. The mix of metal finishes and bright colored stucco creates patterned townhouses, and breaks from the bland beige surrounding hotel blocks. Small and large scale art is used to highlight gathering areas in the light filled, timber framed lodge and colorful courtyard. The exterior provides a continuous shady porch for all day relaxing, dining and pool lounging.    

An open floor plan, modern finishes and a welder brought this 1930’s cottage into the 21st century. Activity and light were brought into the core of the house by peeling back the enclosing walls and stair. The newly opened kitchen was streamlined by horizontal steel work surfaces installed on a grid of metal tube supports. The existing enclosed porch was replaced with a tall, airy, sun room that opens to the backyard through large retractable sliding doors. The owner’s selection of finishes completed the rebirth of this tired homestead into a modern volume for living.