Champions Golf Pavilion
Located along the golf side of the existing clubhouse, the design respects and resonates with the existing architectural language on the property, while amplifying and adding to the experience of club.
The project directly responds to the existing colonnades and outdoor walkways around the property instead of imposing a new “form” or “style” onto the clubhouse.
By extending this elegant, architectural language from the Cypress bar, the patio’s quiet presence feels as if it was always intended to be there. The design thoughtfully utilizes the shade from two large existing trees, while maintaining the views of the golf course from the main dining room.
The structure employs an 8’ grid, matching the existing colonnades and facades. The brick pavers and roof both follow the grid, but they do not follow each other. The patio unfolds into the landscape organically and offers both covered and uncovered spaces to enjoy throughout different seasons and times of day.
Location
Houston, Texas
Collaboration
WAL studio
Design Team
Alex Warr, Joe Rivers, and Kevin Barden
Typology
Commercial
Date
2022- 2023
Structural and Civil Engineer
Sarab Engineering
General Contractor
Texana Builders
Photography
Leonid Furmansky
Process
Explore
Memorial Townhome Renovation
Houston, Texas
Residential
Just steps from Memorial Park, this complete townhome renovation transforms a compartmentalized layout into an airy, light-filled sanctuary. Walls and columns were removed to create open sightlines and fluid movement, reflecting the client’s identity and lifestyle. Multiple skylights wash the double-height living space in daylight, shifting like an internal sundial and connecting inhabitants to the rhythms of time and season.
Kevin Barden
Architect
Art and Design
In this episode, our resident architect Joe Rivers sits down with our other resident architect Kevin Barden from Minnetonka, Minnesota. Kevin and Joe first met at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, over a decade ago. Since then, Kevin's journey in architecture has taken him many places, including Chur, Switzerland where he studied and worked for two and half years, and Houston, Texas where Rivers Barden Architects laid its roots. Joe sat down with Kevin to discuss his beginning in architecture, his influences, and his mantra for living a fulfilled life.
From Holiday Card to LEGO Set
Joe Rivers
Writing
Last November, Kevin and I sat down for our annual holiday card charette, a tradition we’ve kept since founding the firm. It’s something we always look forward to: an opportunity to create something memorable and share it with our friends, clients, and community. This year, one idea jumped out and stuck: *Lego*. Through the process of building making the holiday card, the project evolved into a custom box Lego set with an instruction booklet for the client.