canyon edge house by tom hurt architects in austin, tx

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.

exterior patio looking over the hillside
photo © thomas mcconnell 

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.

the roof plane extends to create the carport
photo © thomas mcconnell 

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.  

clerestory windows maximize the amount of natural sunlight
photo © patrick Y. wong

kitchen
photo © patrick Y. wong

bathroom
photo © patrick Y. wong

composite section

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