West Texas Retreat
Set against the rugged backdrop of West Texas, this renovation transforms a simple home into a serene retreat immersed in mountain and sky. Expansive glazing captures shifting light and distant peaks, while covered outdoor spaces invite connection to the land’s quiet rhythms. Warm wood ceilings and natural stone finishes echo the desert palette, creating a refuge for reflection and renewal. Designed as an escape from the city, the home celebrates its setting while offering a place to slow down, breathe deeply, and watch the horizon fade into starlit night.
Location
Alpine, Texas
Design Team
Joe Rivers and Kevin Barden
Renderings
WAL Studio
Typology
Residential
Date
2017
Process
Explore
HCU Moody Library Renovation
Houston, Texas
Commercial
This renovation reimagines the library as a dynamic hub for learning, connection, and adaptability. As education and research shift away from traditional models, new service paradigms are emerging to meet the evolving needs of students and universities.
Nicole Buergers
Beekeeper & Cheesemonger
Food and Beverage
In this episode our resident architects Joe Rivers and Kevin Barden visit Nicole Buergers. Nicole is a beekeeper and cheesemonger from Houston, Texas, a career that grew from a passion project into a full-fledged business. Kevin and Joe were introduced to Nicole through Minh Nguyen, owner of Cafe TH and former guest of this podcast. The three of them sat down with Nicole to discuss her beekeeping service and how her diverse background feeds into its success.
Immersive Tools
Kevin Barden
Writing
At a time when artificial intelligence and digital tools dominate discussions of architectural education, the practice of making large-scale physical models serves as an ever more important tool for the development of a student’s creative voice, sense of discovery, and long-term learning. Through an understanding of temporal and spatial kairotic environments and an iterative process these large-scale physical models possess the potential to embody experiential qualities in a meaningful manner.