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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. The butterfly and hipped roofs channel breezes, capture shifting sunlight, and direct views to the surrounding oaks and hills. Blending rugged materials with refined detailing, the design creates a warm, inviting getaway that celebrates the rhythms of the land.

Location

Johnson City, Texas

Design Team

Joe Rivers and Kevin Barden

Typology

Residential

Date

2019-2021

Structural Engineer

Hill Country Structural

General Contractor

Phillips & Phillips Design Build

Process

Explore

Champions Golf Pavilion

The new Founder’s Patio at Champions Golf Club offers an exciting opportunity for dining, relaxing and enjoying the golf club. 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.

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.

Sicily Sketch Essay

Drawing and Photography

In the summer of 2008, Kevin visited Sicily for two weeks.  Traveling by train, car, and foot, various sites ranging in time, material, and typology around the island were observed, explored, and studied.  This sketch essay captures a handful of the moments and experiences from the trip.