Texas Two-Step
Austin-based architectural photographer Patrick Wong, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture, asked the firm Cottam Hargrave for help in designing and building a live/work space on land he had purchased years ago from his grandfather. “The lot had become the neighborhood dump,” says Wong. “There’s a convenience store about 100 yards away, and it takes someone about that distance to finish a 32-ounce beer and throw it into the pile,” he says with a laugh, adding that he spent every weekend for a year removing 60 truckloads’ worth of bottles, cans, bags of trash—even a car bumper—from the site before it was empty enough to pour the slab.
The architects, led by principal Jay Hargrave, designed a simple, 1,700-square-foot structure that begins as a one-story at the entrance façade then rises to a second story at the back to accommodate the bedroom loft area. In the design phase, he and Wong, who initially asked for a bachelor pad, remained especially cognizant of the extreme sun exposure at the site, and planned accordingly. The angled roof protects the occupants—Wong, his wife, preschool teacher and amateur artist Cherry Li and her teenage daughter, Jasmine—from extreme midday sun, but the meticulously placed windows allow plenty of bright, constantly shifting light in throughout the day.
“Patrick wanted a very efficient, well-built house, and the program is fairly straightforward,” says Hargrave. “The way he lives his life is intrinsically sustainable, so it was necessary to create something in which every bit of space would be well-utilized.” Wong adds that he admires the flexibility of Japanese architecture and interior space, and relies on being able to use the main, open space downstairs “as a photography studio, a living room or even a dance floor if we ever feel like it.”
Article
-
Wolfe Den, Austin, Texas
Architect MJ Neal, much like his hometown of Austin, Texas, possesses a balanced combination of country cordiality and urban edge. In October 2008, we wrote about one of his projects in the rural…
Products
-
Ling Wong Shredder and Sharpener
-
Die
Tobias Wong once traded a cigarette for a die from a stranger on the street. McSwain honored his friend with a portrait composed of 13,138 plastic dice—one for every day of Wong’s life.
-
Convex Concave
Wong once decked out a Parisian shop window with clever diamond-inspired designs. Burks opted for fragmented reflections from this faceted steel objet.
Dwell Collections
-
Gifts for a Photographer
I'm a photography student, so I am immersed in all things visual and functional for that world at the moment. Here's a list of 10 items desired by Academy of Art Photography Students in the Arbus…
-
Step into Dwell Outdoor
Modern design extends beyond glass walls. From planters and prefab to shrubs and sheds, we export the lifestyle values that inform our in-house decisions—sustainability, simplicity and…
Events
-
Austin by Design
Austin x Design is a month-long series of events promoting the variety of organizations and happenings that celebrate design in both the built and natural environments. Over 14 organizations will…
-
24th Annual AIA Austin Homes Tour
This October 2-3, AIA Austin will hold its annual AIA Austin Homes Tour, a showcase of great design by local architects. The 12 homes on the tour feature contemporary and traditional designs, as…
-
Photographic Memories
The photographs on display date mostly from 1850–1910, and the subjects range from formal portraits of princes to picturesque views of palaces and temples to depictions of dancers and tightrope…
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Related Products
-
Ling Wong Shredder and Sharpener
Receipt shredder meets pencil sharpener, this…
-
Die
by Frederick McSwainTobias Wong once traded a cigarette for a die…
-
Convex Concave
by Stephen BurksWong once decked out a Parisian shop window…
Latest
-
05.23
The Making of Screenplay: Part 8
Jenny Wu, a partner at Oyler Wu Collaborative, documents the…
-
05.23
Veliero Shelving by Cassina
In 1940, architect Franco Albini made a single model of his…
-
05.23
ICFF 2012: Picks from Javits Center
This week we're digging deep into our favorites objets de…
Follow
Dwell
Reloading tweets…
tasty little house. surprisingly fresh for deconstructed plywood and concrete. inspired me.
Can't imagine not, having a garage for the car. Heat destroys your vehicle is not protected. I personally would never but or build without a garage. Where to put your tools, outside hobby stuff?
Modern Homes, it starts with an idea and ends with an attitude, what was once was is no longer acceptable. Lets live in our own houses, not the ones our parents grew up in.
Lots of great non-traditional aspects to this project... lovin' that crazy butterfly carport!
Nice, clean and contemporary. A little too clean. I agree with the previous comment on where is the garage. There needs to be a space for mess. I don't know that it needs to be enclosed, but a tool shed or storage space for a lawn mower or garden tools? May be there is part of this house that we aren't seeing . . . -------- Coates Design specializes in green building and sustainable design.
I think some of you are missing the point. Clearly this design is clean and contemporary for a reason. The owner is going for a streamlined lifestyle overall here (not just the design of his house, but also how he lives his life). Why have "mess" areas in your home (garage or otherwise)? Simplicity is the point. With so many hoarders compiling piles of junk they never use, I think the approach is refreshing. Oh, and the house is beautiful. Job well done.
Whether or not they want a "streamlined lifestyle" or not, the fact remains that they still have to cut the grass and posess some sort of tools & materials to maintain the appearance and mechanical functions of the house. It is a beautiful home, but there is no reason to automatically assume that a garage is a "mess" and to not include it in the design. There are a myriad of storage solutions for automotive and home-related tools and supplies to keep them orderly and out of sight.
i paid for the 10 issues from my iphone and i never got one . in september 2010 whats apend6
In my experience w/ modernism, I can say that 'streamlined lifestyle' is an ideal to be approached realistically. I built a modernist house and spend alot of time there w/ my family. It's truly a beautiful place and we love it. However, one drawback is the lack of a work or storage area. Unless you have no kids and just sit around on your low slung sofa all day reading Dwell, you're going to need an area to handle the spillover from the chaos of real life activities (gardening, hobbies, building projects, kid's stuff, etc). I considered building it w/ a basement rec room or a separate garage/studio, but decided it was too expensive. Now I'm looking for a solution (shipping container?).
we just built a garage. a proper enclosed garage after years of a "car port". our cars are finally off the street. our hardware, blowers hidden. our neighbors have got to be happy!. i have never understood why someone would have a car worth 60 thousand dollars sitting on the driveway and store 600 dollars of junk in the garage. go figure.
I think The shipping container idea is the way to go. Plenty of good desings out there for a shop/garage/storage.
The orientation of the driveway and carport provide ample vehicular shade and there is plenty of storage within the atelier. The storage space for garage objects simply isn't portrayed because it isn't as visually compelling as other aspects of the atelier.
Cottam Hargrave once again creates a masterpiece, this time with a small canvas. It's rare that I drag a photo off the web to save in my "like to build some day" folder, but this one made the cut. The design forces the owner to live an efficient lifestyle... how cool. Any room for art in this abode?
RSS Feed
Add a Comment