Besides Being Works of Art, These Custom Metal Shutters Master the Texas Heat

In designing a new home outside Austin, Texas, architect Tim Bade of Brooklyn-based Bade Stageberg Cox used a number of tried-and-true strategies to help thwart the area’s notorious heat. Big overhangs, rooms that open onto a central courtyard, and siting in a stand of trees all guaranteed a certain amount of protection from the sun. This was crucial because, in summer, Texas can sizzle for days on end at temperatures that surpass the 100-degree mark. The intense heat was a revelation to Austin newcomers Erik and Kelli Petrik, who moved there from Colorado. "What most people don’t realize," says Erik, "is that the heat doesn’t let go."