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Houzz Tour: Textured Concrete Studio in Texas
Heavy on the outside but light and bright on the inside, this Austin studio shows different faces depending on the daylight and angle
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City. I have Bachelor of Architecture and Master in Urban Planning degrees, and over ten years experience in architectural practice, split between Chicago and NYC. Currently I'm focused on writing and online pursuits. My daily blog can be found at http://archidose.blogspot.com
Houzz Contributor. I am an architect and writer living in New York City.... More »
Concrete Studio is the apt name for this two-story structure designed by Mell Lawrence Architects for two avid gardeners and landscape designers. Removed from the house proper, the studio, above a garage and storage space, sits like one of the couple's many objects in their garden. Following is a tour of this small studio, heavy and textured on the outside but light and smooth on the inside.
Space at a Glance:
Who lives here: James David and Gary Peese, David/Peese Design
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 750-square-foot studio, 750-square-foot garage
That's interesting: The studio is a sculptural form cast in concrete and textured like reptilian scales.
Space at a Glance:
Who lives here: James David and Gary Peese, David/Peese Design
Location: Austin, Texas
Size: 750-square-foot studio, 750-square-foot garage
That's interesting: The studio is a sculptural form cast in concrete and textured like reptilian scales.
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| The view from the house at dusk reveals an asymmetrical form with irregular openings and an angled roof. The structure is built into a hillside, such that the garage is hidden from this view, giving the studio a suitable presence in the yard, one that does not compete with the garden. Lawrence found inspiration in the garden. "I don’t know of a more stunning landscape in our state," he says. "And we live in a large state!" |
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| A daytime view from a different angle reveals even more asymmetry in terms of the roof's profile and the window openings. As well, the concrete texture can be seen, though the variation of the material is more pronounced in this view than the actual texture. |
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A glance from roughly the same angle when the sun hits the studio finally reveals the texture through shadows. Lawrence describes the surface as "like reptilian scales," a pattern used "to catch the changing light of the day."
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"The surface of the concrete is far from perfect," he says. "We allowed it to be flawed, sort of rough and tumble, which makes it feel more forgiving and relaxed. The thick concrete surrounding the studio is actually an inside and an outside layer, with rigid insulation sandwiched in between."
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A balcony juts from one side of the studio, but it doesn't serve the studio space proper; it is actually an extension of the shower. Thankfully the solid guardrails, also in concrete, lend some privacy.
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Closer to the studio, the relationship between it and the garden becomes more explicit, as does the inspiration for Lawrence. He explains: "No matter how perfect you try to construct the landscape, given its material palette, it is most often a little rough and imperfect, a little wiggly here and there, quite forgiving and relaxed all the while being quite composed and scripted and wonderful. I experience James and Gary’s gardens very much that way. I wanted the studio to follow their lead and pick up on the patterns and sensibilities already at play in their gardens."
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Inside, the studio is a light space, even though its walls are defined by monolithic concrete. Three large openings bring natural light into the pentagon-shape studio: the sliding door, a taller window around the corner (visible in the first photo), and ...
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... a triangular skylight that aligns with the walkway to the building (it was visible in the sliding-door opening a couple photos back). This skylight is probably the most important aperture in the whole project, since it validates the effort in creating an irregular, faceted form. Otherwise, the building is all straight walls extruded from the base, minus the wall facing the house, which angles in one foot from the slab of the studio to the high point of the roof (this is visible in the earlier photo with the shower balcony).
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Given that the small building is used as a studio, it also makes sense that north light is exploited. The triangular skylight is positioned to do just that, coinciding also with the low point of the roof.
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The light that comes in from the north is soft, so James and Gary have a suitable environment for whatever it is they want to create. Lawrence hits upon a benefit of the chamfered skylight, which "looks upward to the sky and downward to the valley," he says.
More:
High Marks for Reinforced Concrete
More:
High Marks for Reinforced Concrete
Ideabook published on June 6, 2012.
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Wonderful place inside and out. From where do the l.r. red/orange with white cushions come?
You should be able to get a response that way.
Eion
http://www.saleaway6stages.com