“I was drawn to the fact that there was a kind of ad hoc and improvisational nature to it. The detailing is quite lovely and very personal and human. … It really takes the vertical residential experience to another level that feels very much of its site and place. This is a lovely project. Every space inside feels very much used. There’s a humility to it that I also appreciate.”
— Roberto de Leon, FAIA
Location Fredericksburg
Architect Dietert Design Studio
Design Team S. Brady Dietert, AIA
General Contractor FST Builders
Photographer Kurt Griesbach
Designed to survive in the wild, this small, three-story dwelling allows guests to experience the forest at three levels: the under-story, the canopy, and the sky view. The clients, who desired a cabin with views across the Pedernales River Valley, were initially skeptical of a rooftop deck due to the extreme heat of Central Texas, but the architect’s sketch of a thin tower among the trees with an origami-like roof changed their minds. The building is oriented to the cardinal directions to take advantage of the sun path and predominant breezes, with the quad-gable roof providing shading, protection, rainwater collection, and a comfortable perch with 360-degree views. The small footprint was nestled into the forest in place of a previously existing portable building, and no trees were removed for construction.