By Mark Haverstock

PROJECT TEAM Designer: Lawrence W. Speck, FAIA, PageSoutherlandPage, Austin, Texas Stone supplier: Mezger Enterprises, Lampasas, Texas Stone installer: Fenimore-Blythe Masonry Contractors, Haltom City, Texas

This house occupied a valuable parcel of land near downtown Dallas, featuring green spaces and large mature trees. The size was right, but the layout didn't suit all the needs of its owners. The house was built in the '70s by noted architect Bud Oglesby, but it was not one of his better works. "They wanted to keep at least some pieces of it," said architect Lawrence W. Speck of PageSoutherlandPage. "If it had not originally been done by Oglesby, they would have probably chosen to bulldoze it." Instead they chose renovation, incorporating some of the existing structure into the new plans.

Speck looked at the project as kind of a joint effort between the old and new architects, though the late Oglesby could only contribute in spirit with his existing work. "We kept the general attitude and the plan, including the midsection of the building, but we completely cut off both ends," Speck explained. "We had Bud's input through the general skeleton of the house, but we altered both ends of the building structurally and changed just about all the exterior materials and finishes from the original." Speck worked with the bones, adding new flesh and blood to the residence.

The front of original house prior to renovation and remodeling.
Photograph © Timothy Hursley / The Arkansas Office

The decision to remove both ends of the house was made because of severe deterioration to the original structure. This major change proved to be a plus — it opened up the house to extraordinary views of Turtle Creek and the Dallas Country Club. On the Turtle Creek end of the house, the removed section was replaced by an open, glass living room, with the glass being enclosed in a steel frame on the inside. "That wall is actually hung from the top — the structural system is a blade of steel 3/8-inch thick and about 18 inches deep," Speck said. "The glass panels are slid between them. It's very thin so, when you're inside, it's as transparent as it can possibly be looking to the outside. You can really enjoy the open landscape." At the opposite end, they built a single-story wing containing an indoor family room and an outdoor living area.

In both the original and renovation, zones are delineated throughout the house for different functions. The first are "servant" spaces, a term Oglesby used to describe stairwells, closets, bathrooms and storage. Other zones are "served" spaces — living areas such as bedrooms, the living room and the dining room.

Glass walls in the living room provide a spectacular view of Turtle Creek.
Photograph © Timothy Hursley / The Arkansas Office

"As you can see in that front portion, there are three solid stone volumes. They contain all the servant spaces," Speck said. "In Oglesby's original plan, the servant spaces weren't very strong, but we went back and really reinforced them." Reinforcing the servant spaces included the construction of stone tower structures evenly spaced, which contrast with the served spaces of glass, steel and wood that join them.

Rear of house, featuring tower of antique Lueders limestone. Photograph © Timothy Hursley / The Arkansas Office

Walls of the servant spaces were constructed of sawn and sandblasted antique Lueders limestone, laid in long horizontal planks. Stone is mounted inside and outside the structure, with an inner cavity between for insulation. Slabs of Lueders comprise the steps and patios that surround the structure.

The limestone walls that contribute solidity and warmth to both the exterior and interior are complimented by the extensive use of stone inside for other applications in the house. Countertops and lavatories also utilized a finely polished version of the Lueders limestone. Shower enclosures were also limestone — a very dense French limestone — that complimented the Lueders used throughout the rest of the house.

	The inside of the stairwell with a stainless steel divider and walls of antique Lueders. Photograph © Timothy Hursley / The Arkansas Office

Both inside and out, tactile surfaces are made even more vivid by a variety of light sources. For example, in the primary stairwell located to the right of the entrance, the thick limestone walls are counterbalanced by a delicate stainless steel screen that hangs from top to bottom and acts as a guardrail for both flights of stairs. Both the surface of the stone and the shimmering metallic surface of the screen are enhanced by the natural light introduced at the top of the stairs through a translucent lantern and by a fiber optic artificial light source at night.

Overall, this extreme makeover not only honors the work of a noted local architect, but also incorporates a favorite regional stone to provide a natural and timeless appearance.

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