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Collection by Zach Edelson
Editor’s Pick

Renovated Midcentury Home in Austin Doubles Square Footage

For over fifty years, A.D. Stenger was a unique figure in the American architectural landscape. Idiosyncratic and independent, Stenger acted as developer, architect, and builder to produce his own unique brand of relaxed modern architecture. Here's how a local architecture firm added on to a Stenger home.

The architects of Austin-based Webber + Studio were asked by a recent divorcee, seeking a home for her three daughters and dog, to renovate a 1968 Stenger home and double its size by adding 1,500 square feet. The architects emulated the home’s Japanese-inspired elements and referenced other Stenger houses in the area to produce a tasteful homage to a classic modern style.

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The architects felt that a strong vertical addition would draw extra attention to the original house’s strong horizontal character. The tower itself is a reinterpretation of an A-frame from another Strenger house five doors down.
The architects felt that a strong vertical addition would draw extra attention to the original house’s strong horizontal character. The tower itself is a reinterpretation of an A-frame from another Strenger house five doors down.
The house’s Japanese inspiration manifests in many ways, including beams that extend outwards over the front door. Floor-to-ceiling windows around the entrance and continuous indoor-outdoor epoxy-pebble flooring blur the barrier between the interior and exterior.
The house’s Japanese inspiration manifests in many ways, including beams that extend outwards over the front door. Floor-to-ceiling windows around the entrance and continuous indoor-outdoor epoxy-pebble flooring blur the barrier between the interior and exterior.
Webber + Studio went with a bold, orange hue for these kitchen countertops. Past the front door and a short hallway lies an expansive living, dining, and kitchen space.
Webber + Studio went with a bold, orange hue for these kitchen countertops. Past the front door and a short hallway lies an expansive living, dining, and kitchen space.
A pool located just outside the dining space and master bedroom echoes the home's angular forms.
A pool located just outside the dining space and master bedroom echoes the home's angular forms.
The pool’s pinched center and a nearby shade tree reflect the Japanese concept of “wabi-sabi,” or imperfection in beauty. A large stepping stone also references a stepping stone in a Japanese garden pool.
The pool’s pinched center and a nearby shade tree reflect the Japanese concept of “wabi-sabi,” or imperfection in beauty. A large stepping stone also references a stepping stone in a Japanese garden pool.
The master bath features a freestanding bathtub and elegantly curved spout.
The master bath features a freestanding bathtub and elegantly curved spout.