South 5th Residence

It’s a very sophisticated balance of inventiveness and restraint.
— Dan Kaplan, FAIA

Location Austin
Client Anne Suttles and Sam Shah
Architect Alterstudio Architecture
Design Team Kevin Alter; Ernesto Cragnolino, FAIA; Tim Whitehill; Daniel Shumaker, AIA; Matt Slusarek, AIA Contractor McQueen Brothers
Engineer Leap!
HVAC Design Positive Energy Building Science
Landscape Alterstudio/Anne Suttles

The South 5th Street Residence slips nonchalantly into the array of eclectic bungalows of Austin’s Bouldin neighborhood. Beneath a rare, 25-ft Durand oak lies a verdant courtyard from which the house unfolds effortlessly and in several directions. A transparent living room hovers over an unexpectedly steep escarpment, revealing dramatic vistas across the valley created by tributaries to Lake Austin. Living spaces above and below are lined with visceral textures of concrete, mill-finished steel and raw stucco presented against finely detailed millwork and custom, site-glazed window walls. Great expanses of transparent glass are paired with ventilator doors that open to encourage breezes throughout the home.