A 7 acre heavily wooded site in the Texas
Hill Country on Lake Austin, this project was begun in 1984,
with additions in 1986 and 1996. Including a guest house,
pool, sport court, extensive gardens and landscaping, this
project takes advantage of views, passive solar energy design
concepts, and was a forerunner in the green building and sustainable
building materials approach of construction for its time.
Originally the home’s potable water was pumped from
Lake Austin and treated on site by the owner’s filtering
system. Solar panels are used to heat the water for the home’s
hot water needs. The east facing view glass is carefully designed
to limit solar heat gain. The vegetable and flower gardens
help feed the family and help support the bird and butterfly
populations.
To maximize the viewing potential, the original
3,400 square foot house was designed with an open floor plan
including a living room, family room and entry within a barn
- like structure. This original barn - like structure, with
24 foot ceilings and a clerestory, serves as the heart and
soul of this completed project after the addition of another
2000 square feet.
