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Location: Austin, Texas

Project size: 3,810 square feet

Program: Falcon Ledge is a vertically oriented primary residence for a newly married couple who enjoy a daily routine connected to the outdoors. With multiple bedrooms, the house can accommodate the family as it grows.

Design Solution: Surrounded by suburban development, Falcon Ledge peaks above the tree canopy from within a ravine that had long been written off as unbuildable. To construct the house, an adjacent staging platform was first erected. This later became a two-car garage and a bridge, which connects the street and the uppermost floor of the “tower.” Living spaces have been placed on this floor, with bedrooms located below—a configuration that offers the clients an “opportunity to live immersed in nature; underneath, inside, and above the dense foliage.” An efficient plan and compact volume optimize energy efficiency, while punctures through an otherwise taut facade frame precise views.

Structure and Materials: Despite an innovative staging strategy, the house was designed to utilize standard construction techniques and practices wherever possible—reducing the need for specialized labor. Standard timber framing and wood trusses structure the house. Contrasting the gray metal facade, wood soffits, floors, and slatted walls add warmth.

Additional Information
Completion date: October 2022
Site size: .773 acres
Total construction cost: Withheld
Client/Owner: Withheld

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Photography © Casey Dunn

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Images courtesy Alterstudio Architecture