Project: Five House
Architecture: M Gooden Design
Lead Designer: Michael Gooden
Project Architect: Kevan Russell
Structural Engineer: Steve Bai, Ph. D, PE
General Contractor: Larson Construction
Pool Builder: Gohlke Pools
Location: Denton, Texas, United States
Area: 672 ft2
Year: 2020
Photo Credits: Parrish Ruiz de Velasco
Situated on a quiet street in a subdued neighborhood of Denton, TX, this “granny-flat” serves as a retreat for the owner’s extended family and guests. The new addition sits atop a portion of the double lot that was home to a former horse stable. When the homeowners decided to add a guest house and pool to the property, they wanted to ensure that the design not only complement the main 1949 mid-century modern residence, but honor its historic era.
The Five house employs a limited vocabulary of materials, displaying rich texture and amplifying the movement of sun and shadow across the façade. A board-formed concrete frame supports a simple, mono-slope standing seam metal roof that floats above a delicate clerestory ribbon of glass. Hearty Brazilian Cumaru wood cladding is used as a strong vertical texture on the façade, as well as the decks and ceilings throughout the house. The house is organized on a strict 5-foot planning grid, thus, earning its name, Five House. The Living Room and Bedroom open to the outdoor decks through a pocketing glass wall, while rolling solar screens and a generous roof overhang allow for privacy and shade during the day. The roughly 700 SF project is organized along the North-South axis of the site, engaging the natural landscape and serving as the terminus to the 50ft lap pool.
