Designed by New York-based, multidisciplinary architecture and design studio INC Architecture & Design, Texas Hill House integrates the clients' Eastern and Western architectural traditions. For instance, the home takes inspiration from traditional Japanese townhomes whose front wooden screens provide privacy, and whose rear sliding shoji screens provide openness. Similarly, at the Texas Hill House, the front is primarily closed, while the rear is connected to and engaged with the landscape through full height glazing and sliding doors. The metal- and cedar-wrapped home is a contextual solution, creating purposeful dialogue between the simple shed shape and the natural setting.

Oriented to the southwest, the exposure is ideal for solar heating and thermal comfort. Open, continuous living spaces are framed by full-height windows with views to the outdoors. Sliding doors located across the living areas open onto the deck, providing a direct connection between interior and exterior spaces. A 10-foot eave cantilevers off the rear facade, protecting the interior from heat gain in the summer, while allowing the sun to warm the interior during cooler months when the sun is low in the sky.

The simple shed expression, with long open spans, is the result of the locally-available truss fabrication technology which structures the home. A muted palette of white walls and wood floors allows the visual emphasis to fall on the textures and colors of the exterior surroundings.

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A Cedar- and Metal-Clad Shed House Ushers In the Outdoors