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Stepping through the stone wall portal marks a threshold from city life to the quiet rhythms of the Texas Hill Country. The cabin’s warm wood interiors and expansive glazing open to the surrounding oaks and sky. In the mornings, the southeast-facing bath welcomes the first light; in the evenings, the southwest-facing bedroom frames sunsets and starlit skies. Elevated on a gentle slope, the design balances privacy and openness, offering a serene refuge deeply connected to its landscape.

Location

Albert, Texas

Design Team

Kevin Barden and Joe Rivers

Renderings

Alex Warr

Typology

Residential

Date

2018

Process

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Gulf Coast Beach House

Set along the Gulf Coast shoreline, this beach house embraces coastal living with expansive decks, open interiors, and uninterrupted ocean views. Light-filled rooms flow seamlessly to generous outdoor spaces, inviting breezes and sunlight into daily life. A soft, natural palette and durable coastal materials create a relaxed yet refined retreat, perfect for both quiet mornings and lively gatherings by the water.

Falon Mihalic

Art and Design

In this episode, our resident architects Joe Rivers and Kevin Barden visit with Falon Mihalic, an award-winning landscape architect and artist from Houston, Texas. Joe and Kevin sat down with Falon to discuss how her childhood influenced her career path, her journey to becoming a landscape architect, and some of her current work.

The Architectural Vernacular of Houston

Writing

As the architectural historian Paul Oliver aptly puts it, “All forms of vernacular architecture are built to meet specific needs, accommodating the values, economies, and ways of life of the cultures that produce them.” In this article, we will explore the various dimensions of architectural vernacular and why it is essential for crafting designs that resonate with the heart and soul of Houston and the Gulf Coast.