Take a gander at the stunning spots on the AIA Austin Homes Tour 2017

It’s a weekend wonderland of architectural delights

By Cindy Widner@CurbedAustin Oct 20, 2017, 1:47pm CDT

Constant Springs Residence by alterstudio architecture

The AIA Austin Homes Tour is always a fun time during a usually lovely season of the year—especially for weaving elaborate, aspirational lifestyle fantasies of one’s own.

It’s also a great way for design nerds to check in on what’s happening currently on the local scene, which is usually quite a bit. This year marks the 31st anniversary of the tour, which will take place Saturday, October 28, and Sunday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

The 13 homes on the tour this year spotlight collaboration between homeowner and architect, with design, craftsmanship, creative use of materials, and sustainability being the main factors for a home to be considered for inclusion.

This year’s tour features a range of work from some of the city’s best firms, from the restoration of he historic Darnall House by Atlantic Architects to alterstudio’s mod solution for saving a very old oak tree in its Constant Springs Residence.

The photos and descriptions below, provided by AIA Austin, provide a glimpse of the homes that will be featured. Go here for more information and tickets for the full tour. Tickets are on sale for $35 in advance, $40 day of the tour.

A Parallel Architecture – The 6,452 square foot project is a peaceful and serene lake-front home overlooking Lake Austin. The residence was constructed to co-exist with beautiful sycamore, cypress and pecan trees. A wooden Ipe pathway divides the house into 2 separate wings and leads outdoors to a fishing pier, sandy beach and boat dock.

alterstudio architecture – Constant Springs Residence features unique cedar ceilings throughout the home, which continue outdoors. A unique cut out allows a magnificent live oak to pass through while an Ipe deck permits the perforation of water. (The Constant Springs Residence is also represented in the featured photo for this article, above.)

Atlantis Architects – The Darnall House has been 75 years in the making. Designed by Fehr and Granger, this house was possibly the first Austin flat roof home celebrating the International Style.

Barley|Pfeiffer Architecture – Thollander House demonstrates that the presently popular modern style can respond well to our harsh summers in Central Texas. A prime example of Green by Design, the house features natural light, energy efficiency, and high performance comfort.

FAB Architecture – Retama House pays homage to classic modernism and is constructed on four levels to exploit the unique characteristics of its site, including living and sleeping spaces opening up to terraces nestled in the mature oak canopies and a roof deck that soars above the treetops to embrace the panoramic downtown view.

Furman + Keil Architects – A grand design, Bridge House is a renovated 1980s suburban home located in West Lake Hills. The reimaged modern house contains a master bedroom and gym, connected to the main house by a dramatic steel-and-glass dining room bridge.

Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects – Richard Lane House sits on a site with unique geometry and topography. The site plan solution located the L-shaped home along the edges of the site to engage the steeper slopes, allowing for the level center area of the site (where a previous home once stood) to remain open.

John Mayfield Architects – A renovated, two-story 1980s condominium at Elm Court. The owners were the original developers/builders of the Elm Court Complex (eight units, each with private exterior walled courtyards; an example of Missing Middle). They were building density in Austin some 35 years ago.

Matt Fajkus Architecture – Paring down the components of a house to a minimal amount of planes and openings, Main Stay House blurs the lines between inside and outside. The structure fully opens up the urban living zone to the pool and yard, enabling lifestyle flexibility.

Restructure Studio –The orientation of Woodlawn Residence creates intriguing trapezoidal pockets of exterior space around the home including an intimate side courtyard featuring a folded perforated metal stair. The design of the house gives a nod to its established neighborhood with its subtle exterior while the interior explores volume and texture with a three-story dining room, exposed structural features, and natural materials.

Stuart Sampley Architect – Lakemoore Residence is a modern farmhouse home with a dark grey exterior, traditional gable roof, and one-story façade wrapping around six heritage live oak trees, creating an entry motor court. The interior includes an open living room, dining and kitchen areas that flow effortlessly to the outdoor living areas featuring a flat roof pool house and swimming pool.

Tim Brown Architecture – Timberline Pass is a single-family home. The design uses classic form and scale with contemporary elements. The central living space can be opened by way of stacking sliding doors to the pool patio.

Tim Cuppett Architects – Innwood Place Home features an “edge of wild” established to serve as a privacy screen and demarcates the line between native and manicured landscape. A new 700 square foot central “jewel box” dramatically contrasts the original eight-foot ceilings.

Take a gander at the stunning spots on the AIA Austin Homes Tour 2017

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