The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell includes the renovation and addition to an existing outdated facility. Located within close proximity to downtown Lowell, the new club will include 65,000 sq ft of space. The new design makes a strong connection with the adjacent Clemente Park and the National Historic Park Canal Parkway.
TRAHAN RANCH
WIMBERLEY, TX
The 3,200 sq.ft. residential project in the heart of Texas Hill Country is on a 14-acre sloping site with native oaks, natural springs and unobstructed views. The plan is a direct response to the site conditions, organized to experience the rugged characteristics of the indigenous landscape. The buildings are nestled into the brow of the hill—a position that offers 260° panoramic views—with an unassuming appearance when seen from a distance.
LOCATION
Wimberley, TX
PROGRAM
Single Family Residence
SIZE
3,500 sq ft
STATUS
Completed 2007
DISTINCTION
GA Houses 144 (Cover), Published
Architectural Digest, Published
Architectural Record, Published
COLLABORATORS
Joseph Perazzelli, Structural
CLIENT
John Trahan
The architecture incorporates a series of counterpoints including heavy and light, open and closed and contemporary and vernacular. The steel frame structure is a kit of parts prefabricated in a shop and erected on-site. The steel pieces attach to a series of exposed board-formed reinforced concrete pylons that are vertical extensions of the foundation. The grounded front consists of heavy, solid materials rising from the earth in sharp contrast to the more transparent back. The structure moves upward becoming lighter at the down-slope side of the house as it opens to the landscape. The main house is a contemporary interpretation of Texas Hill Country post-and-beam construction that exploits regional materials and the expertise of local trades-people. Without doors, the spaces of the main house flow from one to the other while the guest room appendage is a more traditional layout.
The environmentally mindful design includes a hydronically heated concrete slab on grade. The concrete foundation and walls provide high thermal mass. Large overhangs, covered walkways, and cross-ventilation offer protection from the sun and heat. The materials palette includes concrete, steel, stone and metals. Texas Hill Country limestone was selected from the site to create the oversized Rumford fireplace central to the living space. An arbor connects building components functioning as an armature for solar photovoltaic panels that provide power for the property. The landscape consists of drought-tolerant plants, native to the area and the local ecosystem.
