canyon edge house by tom hurt architects in austin, texas
photo © patrick Y. wong
all images courtesy of tom hurt architects

 

 

 

the narrow and steep wooded site off cuernavaca offered opportunities for tom hurt architects to explore how the ‘canyon edge house’ sits on the hillside, responds to the natural environment, and how it is approached by vehicle. a quiet ledge approximately 10 vertical feet below the road offered a natural place for the structure and permits soothing views through the canopies of the trees below to the bottom of a dry-creek canyon.

tom hurt architects canyon edge house mexico designboom
exterior patio looking over the hillside
photo © thomas mcconnell 

tom hurt architects canyon edge house mexico designboom
the staircase blending into the terrain
photo © thomas mcconnell 

 

 

 

the warm, wood-clad living room roof dynamically pulls upward toward the street and creates a carport. the surface directs the approaching owner’s view through the living room and trees and across the gorge — connecting the exterior approach by automobile to the lounge area and central experience of the residence.

tom hurt architects canyon edge house mexico designboom
the roof plane extends to create the carport
photo © thomas mcconnell 

tom hurt architects canyon edge house mexico designboom
looking towards entryway
photo © patrick Y. wong 

 

 

 

the sustainable dwelling includes active and passive solar-design, SIPS-panel roofs, and heat-reducing thermal mass retention walls. originally conceived as a speculative house, this three-bedroom, 2,200 square foot home was eventually constructed for a young couple, their pets, and their eclectic,  busy lifestyles.  

tom hurt architects canyon edge house mexico designboom
clerestory windows maximize the amount of natural sunlight
photo © patrick Y. wong

tom hurt architects canyon edge house mexico designboom
kitchen
photo © patrick Y. wong

tom hurt architects canyon edge house mexico designboom
bathroom
photo © patrick Y. wong

tom hurt architects canyon edge house mexico designboom
composite section

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.