Luv Shak 2.0
This new residence is designed to foster a deep, daily connection to the surrounding landscape. Porches and decks wrap all sides of the home, creating a variety of outdoor spaces that offer comfort, shade, and views throughout the day. A strong east–west organizational axis optimizes solar exposure for rooftop solar panels while shaping the home’s relationship to light and time.
Conceived as a forever home for a retired couple, the design thoughtfully integrates aging-in-place strategies, including gentle ramps and generous circulation widths that support ease of movement over time. A large deck extends from the primary bedroom toward the east-facing pond, offering a quiet place to greet the sunrise and stargaze at night. Inside, the living room’s vaulted ceiling and exposed steel cross-ties minimize structure while maximizing openness and airiness. Set within the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana, the home is both grounded in its setting and attuned to the rhythms of daily life.
Location
Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Design Team
Kevin Barden and Joe Rivers
Typology
Residential
Date
2017-2020
Structural Engineer
Fractal Structural Engineering
General Contractor
Dykes Construction
Process
Explore
New Territory Tennis Center
Sugar Land, Texas
Commercial
Natalie Lin Douglas
Violinist
Music and Performance
In this episode, our resident architects Joe Rivers and Kevin Barden visit with Natalie Lin, a violinist from Houston, Texas. Natalie is a violinist and founder of KINETIC, a conductor-less ensemble from Houston, Texas. Joe and Kevin sat down with Natalie to discuss her upbringing in music and how her ensemble is forging a new path for classical musicians.
Principal Spotlight: Joe Rivers
Joe Rivers
Writing
Meet one of our Principals, Joe Rivers! Joe approaches architecture from the bottom up, and is an expert negotiator between details, constructibility and the larger vision of each project. He enjoys cooking and canoeing in his spare time.