Project: Monroe Residence
Architecture: Davey McEathron Architecture
Team: Hunter Tipps + Davey McEathron
Location: Austin, Texas , United States
Area: 3500 ft2
Site Size: 7920 ft2
Year: 2019
Photo Credits: Leonid Furmansky
Text by Davey McEathron Architecture
Set in the Bouldin neighborhood, Monroe Residence responds to its context and the user as a bright articulated jewel set upon on a dark plinth. Known for its tight, oak-lined streets and quaint bungalows, the neighborhood and a constrained site presented a unique challenge in working to accommodate the client’s desire for a 3500 square foot home in this idyllic locale.
The response presented a duality of forms: The first form; the plinth, respects the scale of the surrounding neighborhood with a low-slung volume of heavy materials: dark brick, wood, steel; elements that engage the occupant with rich tactility.
Main-floor master suite includes a freestanding soaking tub with a large walk-in shower tucked behind a monolithic Carrara marble privacy wall and a huge walkthrough closet lined with custom walnut cabinetry.
A second bedroom with en suite bathroom on the main floor is ideal for use as an office or for a family member who prefers not to climb stairs.
The second volume; the jewel, presents as an angular white form of smooth stucco resting delicately upon its pedestal. Consciously set to the rear; this element removes overt mass from the front of the lot, maintaining the character of the area and calling to those on the street like a lighthouse on the hill.
The back yard contains a heated pool surrounded by a deck built from exotic Cumuru as well as an outdoor kitchen and a detached pool bath.
