Project: Barton Hills house
Architects: A Parallel Architecture
Architect in Charge: Eric Barth, Ryan Burke
Structural Engineer: JM Structures
General Contractor: David Wilkes Builders
Architect in Charge: Eric Barth, Ryan Burke
Geotechnical Engineer: Kohutek Engineering & Testing
Location: Austin, Texas, United States
Project Area: 2968.0 ft2
Photographs: Topher Ayrhart
Located on a hill in the southern city of Austin, Barton Hills House occupies one of the highest points at the edge of town, offering beautiful panoramic views of the city and nearby mountains. The house occupies an area of 2800sf and due to the sloping ground; the building is partially embedded in the ground. This architectural approach has facilitated the access of the vehicles and the allocation of the first level in order to set up a parking. As a result, the living spaces were built higher and at the last level, a roof deck with 180 degrees orientation towards the city was projected. The architectural design of the building allows the house to comply with the development restrictions of the city, maximizing in the same time the intimacy of the private life and the benefit brought by the generous view.
The building is vertically stratified across the split-level configuration, housing vehicles on the lowest level, public space and secondary sleeping rooms at the rear yard level above, storage and mechanical on the interstitial 3rd level, and a generous master suite with lounge and roof deck on the 4th. This stratification allows for a wide variety of spatial experiences and view opportunities as one ascends the central stair tower.
The tectonic design reinforces this vertical procession, starting with a heavy concrete plinth that retains earth at the sunken garage and becomes the foundation, exposed steel wide-flange beams which support the heavy loads of the second story and roof deck, and cantilevered glulam beams at the high roof, that taper up to the sky and orient this level to its primary downtown view.
Built-in rooftop planters screen undesirable neighboring views while offering privacy to the master suite. An exterior stair connects the roof deck with the private rear yard, where a generous covered porch shades the west-facing window wall and serves as an outdoor living room.
