A balance of natural light, simple materials, and flows, are integrated with controlled views and atmospheric variation. This Central Austin house was remodeled to the idea of “free plan” and “open plan” - both are concepts of mid-century modern, which the original house was designed upon.

The design opens the house up not only by unifying the common areas, but also by literally raising the original roof. Through merely consolidating the service core and extending it as much as possible to the back, both public and private zones become more desirable. The kitchen is seen as part of the social space, opening up rather than part of the service core. This strategy allows a completely open planned public zone which allows a raised ceiling height with clerestory windows on the south, west and north sides. The raised ceiling maintains the original pitched roof geometry to stay harmoniously with the existing gabled roof in the private zone. The exposed roof structure helps to define each function and expanding beyond the face to connect to the outdoors while preserving privacy to the street, and the tongue and groove wood ceiling continues out to the soffit to visually dissolve the limits of enclosure. Furthermore, as an effort to bring the outdoors in, intimate patios are created for both public and private areas.

Design Team: Sarah Johnson; David Birt; Matt Fajkus, AIA
Contractor: Texas Construction Company
Interior Design: Joel Mozersky Design
Structural Engineering: JM Structural
GFA: 1,567 sqf
Photography: Twist Tours