The client’s request was quite common - a typical 2800 sf builder home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living space, and den. However, their desire was for this to be “anything but common.” The result is an innovative update on the production home for the modern era, and serves as a direct counterpoint to the neighborhood and its more conventional suburban housing stock, which focus views to the backyard and seeks to nullify the unique qualities and challenges of topography and the natural environment. The Terraced House cautiously steps down the site’s steep topography, resulting in a more nuanced approach to site development than cutting and filling that is so common in the builder homes of the area. The compact house opens up in very focused views that capture the natural wooded setting, while masking the sounds and views of the directly adjacent roadway. The main living spaces face this major roadway, effectively flipping the typical orientation of a suburban home, and the main entrance pulls visitors up to the second floor and halfway through the site, providing a sense of procession and privacy absent in the typical suburban home. Clad in a custom rain screen that reflects the wood of the surrounding landscape - while providing a glimpse into the interior tones that are used. The stepping “wood boxes” rest on a series of concrete walls that organize the site, retain the earth, and - in conjunction with the wood veneer panels - provide a subtle organic texture to the composition. The interior spaces wrap around an interior knuckle that houses public zones and vertical circulation - allowing more private spaces to exist at the edges of the building. The windows get larger and more frequent as they ascend the building, culminating in the upstairs bedrooms that occupy the site like a tree house - giving views in all directions. The Terraced House imports urban qualities to the suburban neighborhood and seeks to elevate the typical approach to production home construction, while being more in tune with modern family living patterns. Overview: Elm Grove Size: 2,800 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Completion Date: September 2014 Services: Architecture, Landscape Architecture Interior Consultants: Amy Carman Design

Casual sophistication and approachable elegance were paramount in the design of this rustic, contemporary home. An undeniable relationship to nature is evident in the home, which is infused with natural elements and celebrates beautiful views. An approachable gathering place that strikes a formidable silhouette on the landscape is the result.

fire pit creates a visual and physical connection from the sunken sitting area to the modern play house at the end of the backyard. the tigerwood ceiling opens itself to a spacious ipe deck that leads down to conversation pit surrounding the fire or the outdoor kitchen patio. the space provides entertainment space for both the young and the old. designed & built by austin outdoor design photo by ryann ford

Lap Pool Photo Credit: Maxwell Mackenzie
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I've replaced the succulents that were previously in the framed units with winter greens for a seasonal look.
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A view across the south courtyard towards the four-car garage. The structure was originally added by noted Arizona architect Bennie Gonzales, during his time as owner of the residence from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. Architect: Gene Kniaz, Spiral Architects General Contractor: Linthicum Custom Builders Photo: Maureen Ryan Photography

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