“The jury commends this design for respecting the scale and rhythm of the historic neighborhood, its restrained use of materials and forms, and its exploration of new relationships between house and garden.”
— Jeff Goldstein, FAIA
Location Austin
Clients Jim and Kristin Ramsey
Architect Alterstudio Architecture
Design Team Kevin Alter, Ernesto Cragnolino, FAIA, Tim Whitehill, Assoc. AIA, Shelley McDavid, Elizabeth Sydnor, AIA
Contractor Abode Modern Homes
Engineer Duffy Engineering
Geotechnical Consultant Capital Geotechnical Services
Pool Athena Pools
Landscape Architect Aleman Design Build
The Pemberton Residence is a counterproposal to the enormous houses and additions that have overwhelmed the fabric of its central Austin neighborhood. Tucked in between the gables of its neighbors and significantly less expensive to build than the median cost of construction in the area, the house was built for empty nesters seeking proximity to downtown. The design takes cues from Joseph Eichler homes of Northern California. Rooms are caught between carefully calibrated courtyards to provide a sense of openness and privacy, despite the constrained circumstances, and are made dynamic by curving oak-clad forms at the front and rear of the home.