A magnificent split-trunk live oak has stood guard over the center of this tight lot for decades, and in recent years, thwarted many attempts on capitalizing on the property’s urban proximity and downtown views. After years of vetting home sites across Austin with the client, the architects presented a carefully composed intervention that brought the live oaks into the architectural fold, remaining attentive to their delicate root systems while leveraging their long limbs and lush canopies for shade and privacy.
The resulting architecture is a rigorously compact shape that belies a surprisingly generous interior experience, while always considerate and connected to the landscape. A double-height central atrium splays open and upwards on axis with the tree and reflects its presence, affording tree-house-like views through the expansive windows nestled around the canopy. A delicately perched swim-through lap pool connects the private rear lawn and contemplative front court while providing an audible buffer that shields the home from the bustle of the thoroughfare below.
A permeable ground floor envelope intertwines the interior with exterior spaces by taking advantage of the tree’s canopy to create shaded solace from the often-overbearing Texas sun. The upper volumes locate the bedrooms and office in the privacy of the tree’s canopy, where the natural light is filtered through the leaves, resulting in a harmonic dance of shadows on the walls. Each space seeks a balance of functionally driven simplicity and expression of purpose; beauty derived from rigorous and thoughtful expression of materiality; and integral relationships to the landscape, the neighborhood, and the city beyond.
The house was built using durable and beautiful materials that can withstand the increasingly harsh Texas climate. A majority of the exterior envelope is clad in locally sourced, FSC-certified thermally modified wood siding and complemented with panels created with Greenguard and FSC-certified recycled paper, and Eco-Bind resins. The site elements are constructed with masonry and weathering steel that complements the exterior cladding. All the materials require minimal maintenance and have long life cycles.
The selected materials support a sense of well-crafted quality and a connection to the surrounding natural and urban context to ensure the home will stand the test of time in material integrity and as a cherished object that will endure for a longer lifespan than many of its contemporary neighbors. The Retama House is designed to be a durable shell that can evolve over generations. It is a project that aims for a position of timelessness through distillation of the site’s unique features into a universally-relatable dwelling.
