The Goat Sheds is a new residence on an inherited parcel of a family goat ranch outside Medina, Texas. The husband worked on the ranch as a young adult when it was owned by his future wife’s parents. The wife spent memorable summers on this very ranch as a child when it was still her grandparents’. They wanted to build a house that opened to the outdoors, with natural light, fresh air, and long views down two adjacent valleys.
The architect was given a box of vintage photos of the goat ranch. One photo, of galvanized tin goat sheds connected by cedar branch fences, inspired the design concept. At once primitive and modern, the new house pays homage to the ranching vernacular of the area and honors her childhood memories of her grandparents' goat ranch.
The structure is a series of limestone walls, like scattered ruins, with galvanized tin sheds built onto them. The stone walls provide a solid, private face onto the entry courtyard. Clerestory windows above admit natural light and provide views up the adjacent hillside. At the rear, the sheds have sliding glass walls that open to the natural landscape and spectacular views of the valleys where the wife hiked and camped as a youngster.