Orris Residence

The Orris Residence is a modest 2300 s.f. custom home on the Pedernales River near Austin, Texas which will serve as a weekend getaway for a young couple and their kids. The client’s only requirement was that the design be “unexpected and unique”. Not a problem! The narrowness of the property led to the linear form and the idea that the house would be used as a vehicle for the family to transition from the road to the river. Turning its “back” to the intense Texas sun and the adjacent neighbors, a metal skin elegantly wraps the structure on one side, while opening up to the outdoors and views on the other side. Visually light in its architectural expression, the house extends out over a stone base which helps ground it while also minimizing its impact on the site.