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When Busy Design Works – Arty House with a Staccato Rhythm

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There is a tremendous amount of graphic interest in extensive trellis work in this single family renovation by John Grable Architects.

The busy dappling of a retained old oak tree is repeated in shadows on the pool and in an abundance of little trellis outcroppings.

All the arbors and overhangs have the effect of filtering the light and reducing solar gain.

Building on the clients’ and the architect’s shared love of ecologically informed design, heritage oak trees were protected during construction and entirely preserved.

The house is sustainable; powered by solar roof panels, running LED lighting and harvesting grey water for gardening.

The addition is as naturally cross-ventilated as possible in the humid heat of San Antonio, Texas, with entire walls that can be opened up to the breeze.

The new construction was built completely on existing foundations.

Soaring windows in steel framed glass are placed on a steel truss supported by wood-concrete pillar-walls.

The spare use of these three industrial materials informs the aesthetic of the artistic home, which succeeds in balancing innovative technologies with traditional time-proven structural techniques.

The exciting new space was initiated by the renovation of an existing 1948 ranch style building underneath.

All that remains of the original single storey building is now dedicated to the simple ground floor bedrooms.

The new space is both one and two storeys, creating light-filled open spaces dedicated to the social areas of the house, both indoors and outdoors.

An industrial steel tray becomes an artistic and practical outdoor fire pit.

The master bathroom is part of the original house – beautified with a facade of lovely translucent glass tiles and a translucent sink and carefully selected hanging LED lighting.

With the toilet separated from the shower area by a translucent green glass, the pure zen-like spaces are intriguingly daylit only from above by skylights.

A huge open and artistic fireplace has a glass hearth bringing light down into the small dark existing house (possibly over the bathroom sink?)

Wood from the demolition was extensively recycled and reused.

Not only is the new addition sustainable, but it is an artistically crafted series of naturally beautiful spaces.