Cascading Creek House
Cascading Creek House was conceived less as a house and more as an outgrowth of the limestone aquifers of the Central Texas geography.
The roof is configured to create a natural basin for the collection of rainwater, not unlike the vernal pools found in the outcroppings of the Texas Hill Country. These basins harness additional natural flows through the use of photovoltaic and solar hot-water panels. The water, electricity, and heat, which are harvested on the roof, tie into an extensive climate conditioning system that utilizes water-source heat pumps and radiant loops to supply the home’s heating and cooling. The climate system is connected to geothermal ground loops, pools, and water features establishing a system of heat exchange, which minimizes reliance on electricity or gas.
Beyond the technological, the form and siting of the house subtly addresses the social issues of American suburbia. The surprisingly low profile of the house in relation to the street offers a critical alternative to the morphology of massive suburban homes in Texas. In contrast to the unassuming face towards the street, the residence presents itself generously towards the wilderness below, embracing nature without overwhelming it.
The primary formal gesture of the project inserts two long native limestone walls to the sloping site, serving as spines for the public and private wings of the house. The exterior walls delineate the shelter that serves as an extended living space oriented towards the creek below. The siting of the boundary walls and building elements was informed by the presence and preservation of three mature native oaks.
Against the constant datum of the imperceptibly sloping roof, the floor terraces along the contour of the land to define the interior into discrete spaces increasing in volume height away from the relative compression of the entry hall. Each wing of the house terminates with the roof cantilevered from a single column that frees up the exterior walls to be fully glazed. This provides the tall and open volume of the living room to be flooded with daylight and offers generous views of the pool deck and the wooded silhouettes of the Texas Hill Country beyond.
Project name Cascading Creek house
Typology Single family residence
Location Austin, Texas
Year 2010
Status Built
Size 5,600 square feet
Collaborators Interior Design: Alan Cano Interiors
Builder: Spencer Construction Management.
Lighting Design: Recht Lighting
Structural Engineer: Conrad Engineering
Design Team Thomas Bercy, Calvin Chen