Huynh Residence

Cedar Hill, TX, United States

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Huynh Residence

Cedar Hill, TX, United States

Firm

Norman D. Ward architect

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2015

SIZE

1000 sqft - 3000 sqft

BUDGET

$100K - 500K

Photos

Charles Davis Smith -AIA | Architectural Photographer (10), Norman D. Ward architect (2)

Huynh Residence

From the street the house appears to be three, single-story connected buildings that suggest a compound. The exterior surfaces of the units are different materials and colors accentuating the tripartite design. The main volume that faces the street and houses the public areas is clad in Leuders limestone, the others in stucco, one painted cream, the other left the natural gray with a sealer. The three units are staggered and offset by 10-feet, but are unified by a standing seam metal roof. A black cypress screen sets off the front door.

The south-facing entry courtyard is enclosed on three sides with two stone veneer bedroom pavilions and an entry wall sheathed with a cypress rain screen.

The interior is crafted to bring in light without sacrificing privacy. Two glass boxes flank the courtyard wall, act as “light containers” that diffuse light into the rooms rather than submit them to a direct blast of Texas sun. One box is placed to the northeast end of the entry hallway to capture morning light, the other to the southwest for the evening light.

A wall engages the glass volumes to create a visual buffer between the bedroom pavilions and living areas. Passage into the bedroom pavilions is through the glass boxes.

The low windows in the master bedroom and bathroom allow light to wash over the floors and provide privacy without the need for window coverings. They also allow an expanse of unpunctuated wall.

The home office is secluded while the reading alcove is elevated and projects from the house with three window walls. It is a serene spot for reading or contemplation. Steps lead up to the glass-enclosed space, which opens to the northern daylight. The reading alcove is elevated above the exterior ground plane offering protected views into the tree canopy.