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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

Explore

Walnut Springs Guest House

Perched on a rocky rise in the Texas Hill Country, the Walnut Springs Guest House offers a nature-immersed retreat for a city family. Two hand-crafted stone volumes anchor the home, framing shaded porches and a generous central gathering space while sheltering private rooms.

Reid Kennedy

Music and Performance

In this episode our resident architects Joe Rivers and Kevin Barden visit with Reid Kennedy, a drummer and composer from St. Paul, Minnesota. Reid Kennedy is a percussionist and pass drummer from St. Paul, Minnesota and a standout example of the modern working musician. In addition to being a top-call drummer in the Twin Cities, Reid teaches percussion and music theory at McNally Smith College of Music in downtown St. Paul. He composes, performs, records, and produces his own music in groups such as the Reid Kennedy Jazz Trio and Big Villain, and is the co-founder of the neo soul modern jazz darlings of Minneapolis, Nooky Jones. Joe and Kevin talk with Reid about his path to becoming a full-time musician, having passion for creating, and the ins and outs of collaboration.

Staff Travel: The Swiss Chalet

Writing

In August of 2023, Rafia visited Switzerland for eight days. Her travels took her from sampling chocolates in Zurich to exploring the UNESCO city of Bern to hiking in the Swiss Alps. Here, she fell in love with not only the beautiful landscapes of the Bernese Oberland region, but also the elaborately decorated Swiss Chalet.