Fulshear, Texas
This new rural home is carefully sited to preserve a mature grove of pecan and oak trees next to an oxbow lake. The oxbow lake is a former meander of the Brazos River. The open volumes, open plan, and simple massing of the home carry through the concept of a "barn for people." The trusses and beams are exposed inside and perform the actual structural work of supporting the roof while providing spatial richness and definition. The corrugated metal roof and simple white walls continue the "barn for people" theme. The stone floor continues from inside to outside to further unite the home with its site.
All the doors slide into pockets so that the entire home becomes an open pavilion on the Texas prairie. Screens roll down to cover the openings when necessary to keep out any Texas bugs while allowing natural air flow and cooling. The limited windows on the south minimize heat gain from the Texas sun, and the deep verandas and planted trellises provide shade.
