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The Pecan Grove Residence aims to resolve a collection of conflicting desires–where the feeling of lightness confronts the requirements of structure; where an appeal for connection meets the demand for privacy; and where mystery contends with pragmatism. As a private residence, the primary concern was how the home might positively impact the life of the family who would occupy it – and an abundance of natural light, privacy alongside openness to the outdoors, and a privileging of natural materials over composition was ubiquitous throughout the design. Newly married and starting a family, the owners found great joy in living connected to the outdoors and in close proximity to neighbors, without having to rely on curtains to maintain their privacy.
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Nestled within a central Austin neighborhood reshaped by rising property values and increasing density, this home offers a gentle counterpoint to the relentless drive to maximize a project’s floor area ratio. Clad in artisanal brick and natural stucco, the home occupies a liminal space, bridging the leafy quiet of shaded front yards with the magic of a hidden courtyard of towering pecan trees. Walls become veils—filtering light, granting privacy, and inviting glimpses of the world beyond. The neighborhood association and larger community have long lobbied for houses more in keeping with the scale of the original, pre-war fabric of the area. The Pecan Grove Residence’s modest scale and approachable presence attempt to meet these community desires, albeit in a modern idiom.
The project begins with an efficient plan and compact volume that is tuned for energy efficiency and optimizing relationships with the natural surroundings. Glazed areas are oriented towards the surrounding tree canopy and shaded by deep porches and overhangs. The project utilizes careful detailing for an airtight envelope with continuous insulation throughout. HVAC zones are defined according to occupancy, exposure, and orientation, and engineered Variable Refrigerant Flow Heat Pumps with dedicated dehumidification and ventilation are employed to optimize comfort as well as energy savings. The recycled brick and natural stucco walls that define the exterior surfaces are both dexterous and tough enough to age gracefully while resisting the negative consequences of weathering.
From the outset, the project recognizes the importance of size in determining the environmental footprint of a project. In combination with its efficient plan and compact volume, the project is oriented for energy efficiency and optimal relationships with the natural surroundings. The compact layout maximizes interior area relative to envelope, while working with the site’s tree canopy and the critical root zones of the adjacent, mature Pecan trees. The constraints of the large Pecan trees created a fundamental link between the house and its natural surroundings, with the foundation being tuned to the root zones of the trees and the fenestration taking advantage of the canopies. Inside, rooms open simultaneously to the surrounding foliage outside and to unexpected interior volumes.
The inhabitant is caught in between the ubiquitous pull of these natural and constructed worlds. A sunken living room, cradled by a planter brimming with River Fern and Leopard Plant, envelops its inhabitants in a tactile intimacy. The geometry of the plan orchestrates powerful openings from front to back, while vertical space crescendos in the kitchen—a 20-foot-tall volume anchoring the heart of the home. Above, private rooms pinwheel around this central space, their windows framing unique views of the surrounding landscape. Special elements such as the three-sided, mitered marble island and purpose-made cabinetry & built-ins anchor the interiors against the ever-present pull of the world beyond.
2+ years after being issued a certificate of occupancy, we conducted a post-occupancy inspection and interview with our clients. That interview made clear that the home exceeded our clients’ dreams in both supporting their active family and providing a peaceful and delightful refuge. Beyond its spatial and visual presence, the character of the place also excels in its thermal comfort, for example, through careful siting for shade and breeze, and engineered mechanical systems.
Alterstudio Architecture is rooted in the deep-seated virtues of generous space making, shrewd manipulation of daylighting, and meticulous attention to detail. The heightening of direct human experience and the framing of complex circumstances underscore each project. We believe that architecture should deepen everyday experience and elevate an awareness of a larger, changing world.
Partners Kevin Alter, Ernesto Cragnolino, and Tim Whitehill have worked together for 25 years, and all are meaningfully engaged in every project. Each office member brings a unique and thoughtful voice that enhances the team dialogue to ensure a free flow of ideas and critical perspectives.
Alterstudio has received over two hundred design awards, including twelve National AIA Awards, and been widely published, including Alterstudio Architecture: 6 Houses from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, as well as the recent book from Oscar Riera Ojeda Publishers’ Masterpiece Series, Highland Park / Alterstudio.
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