Set on a ranch east of Austin, Texas, the original Pugh Residence is a house thirsty for light. The house, which was added to several times, has become a cluttered assembly of spaces deprived of solar exposure. The remodel proposes a conservation of the overall house enclosure while carving out interior partitions and removing large portions of the attic.
© R.Bryant Hill
© R.Bryant Hill
The result is a flexible open plan with clean lines and clear formal relationships between object and space. Additionally, the design provides an enhanced and meaningful connection to nature in its modulation of light, breezes, and views. Construction begins in 2011 by Pugh Custom Build and will incorporate sustainable reclaimed materials, including wood from a decommissioned seed mill in Elgin, Texas.
Also featured on site is a series of threshold pieces to mark one’s procession through the house.
© R.Bryant Hill
Starting in the front yard, one encounters a concrete entry portal as an initial threshold. The other two thresholds, found within the home, help denote the separation between the house’s three main zones — that for sleeping, living, and playing. Each of these elements helps to blur the lines between space, both indoors and outdoors, to create a home that enhances living in the beauty of the Texas landscape.Project manager: Sarah JohnsonDesign team: Matt Fajkus, AIA, Sarah JohnsonDesign support: Jeanie Fan, Shuwen GuPhotography: Bryant Hill.
© R.Bryant Hill
© R.Bryant Hill