Having fallen in love with the lake house that architects Matthew Hufft and Dan Brown designed for them in 2011, Chad and Kelly Morgan tapped the Kansas City–based architectural firm Hufft once again for their main residence in Springfield, Missouri.

“We recently went to dinner with the homeowners, and Chad says he doesn’t collect cars or other items—just Hufft homes,” laughs principal Jesse Hufft, who emphasizes the close relationship her firm enjoys with the couple, who have three children.

Armed with a strong understanding of the clients’ family values, active lifestyle, and passion for the outdoors, Hufft knew that indoor/outdoor living was a must, as was capturing views and sounds of the stream that flows near the front of the house.

The architects allowed the form of the house—aptly named Streamline House—to be shaped by the stream, which pumps more than 300,000 gallons of crystal-clear water through the site each day. The architects even embraced the stormwater runoff: instead of diverting it around the house, they channeled much of the current beneath a bridge portion of the home, where it flows to reach the stream.

“The form of the home is conceptually pushed and carved away by the flow of the site’s runoff making its way toward the stream, and the carves created by the passages of water become special connective moments in the architecture,” explain the architects.

The landscape also influenced the material palette and the selection of light-colored painted brick, which mimics the site’s bright white limestone outcroppings and evokes imagery of erosion by water with its textured finish. Meanwhile, the house also references the local Ozark vernacular with its wide, inviting porch and gable-end roofs.

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Inside, the light-filled home opens up to the outdoors through floor-to-ceiling windows for uninterrupted views. The interior is dressed with neutral tones and a natural material palette that includes light-colored brick to tie the indoor spaces with the exterior.

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“There is an undeniable connection between the stream and the residence built beside it,” note the architects. “Streamline House is a home that cannot be separated from its site, and the homeowners wouldn’t have it any other way.”

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Hufft / @_hufft

Builder/ General Contractor: Kenson Goff Homes

Structural Engineer: Paul Spears

Landscape Design Company: LAND3 Studio

Interior Design: Hufft

Cabinetry Design: Hufft

Cabinetry Installation: Kenson Goff Homes

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A Nearby Stream Helps Sculpt This Spectacular Missouri Home