Exteriors

The architects worked with the natural, six-foot slope of the site and built the Granny Pad into the hill to gain the needed interior height. The volume on the right is the original garage footprint, which now houses a kitchen and sitting room. The added volume on the left hosts the bedroom, as well as a bathroom beneath the loft space.

Located in Austin’s historic Hyde Park in the company of 1920s-era bungalows, the Concrete Casita by Ravel Architecture is distinct with its contemporary, low-lying profile, yet feels at home with the neighborhood. Designs to become in-law’s quarters or serve as a versatile, indoor/outdoor space for an active Austin family, the 600-square-foot structure has a rugged makeup of board-formed concrete, rusted steel, and glass.

The exterior cedar screens can be closed for privacy and to protect the great room’s triple-glazed window wall from unwanted solar gain.

“The house was designed for a family with young kids—it’s a place to get outside, collect specimens along the shore of the lake, play in the dirt, and spend time with family and friends,” explain Taylor and Morris. A glimpse of the detached two-bedroom guesthouse can be see behind the great room building.

Bensonwood engineered and constructed the prefab timber frame, as well as the SIP envelope.

Drawing inspiration from the farmhouse vernacular, the Clinton Corners Residence features gabled structures clad in western red cedar and topped with standing seam metal roofing.

The glass vestibule also provides access to a lake-facing outdoor deck.

Soon after purchasing a picturesque lakeside property an hour and a half north of Manhattan, a couple with school-age children found themselves facing a new question: how would they build a bespoke vacation home in time for their kids’ next summer break?

The giant shutters can easily be opened and closed by one person.

Oversized pine shutters can be closed to protect the glass facade.

The living room extends into the great outdoors with a spruce deck.