View of negative-edge pool and hot tub adjacent to house. Photograph © Paul Finkel / Piston Design

By Mark Haverstock

PROJECT TEAM Designer: Cottam Hargrave Architecture and Construction, Austin, Texas Stone supplier: Continental Quarries, Inc., Lueders, Texas Stone installer: J.P. Castelline Masonry, Austin, Texas

Keep it simple and focus on quality, not quantity. Think permanence. Those were the goals of the builders and designers of this modern residence constructed in the wooded hills near the central part of Austin, Texas.

All building sites contain elements that inspire an architectural design solution, and architect Jay Hargrave seamlessly matched the structure to the available site. "It's at the top because of the view," he explained. "We agreed to make sure the house was well engaged in the ground, and the foundation, as well as the components that came down to grade, were well considered as part of the design." Guests approaching from the driveway first see the underside of the building, which emphasizes the relationship between the building and the ground.

Because of the steep slope on which the house is positioned, Hargrave knew they would need to provide some outdoor space at the main living area. That's why there's a cantilevered pool and a small elevated lawn and patio on top, adjacent to the garage.

Primary living spaces are located on the first floor of the house. A centralized kitchen and living room open out to the courtyard of grass and stone that surrounds the pool and hot tub. The living room — the largest space in the house — has three exterior glass walls anchored by two stone masses, the stairwell and fireplace. A dining room is located at the rear of the house, surrounded by two textured concrete walls that wrap around the rear of the house. To the right of the kitchen and dining room is a bridge that links the master suite and an upstairs guest suite with a study.

The second floor features two bedrooms, a full bath and a media room that opens to a patio overlooking the pool. On the ground level is a three-car garage, workshop and wine room. This lower area also houses a dedicated mechanical room and built-in storage areas.

"We're more involved in the construction aspect than many other local firms," Hargrave said. "It's not typical home construction, as there's very little wood involved."

With modern engineering and technology, stone is no longer limited by its traditional properties and can be applied in a variety of ways. The basic structure is a combination of concrete, reinforced CMU and masonry or stone over a CMU backup, including structural steel with light gauge steel framing throughout. The exterior is clad in limestone veneer and stucco with copper accents. Stained concrete floors and some hardwood flooring make up the 5,500 square feet of available living area.

The masonry walls range from 18 inches to more than 40 inches in thickness, with their massiveness expressed in the detailing of the corners and openings. One example is the construction of the three windows in the stairwell. Each window is made from two 48" x 48" x 15" Lueders blocks set back to back with an opening carved into the center. The opening in the outside block is slightly larger than the one on the inside block, so the inside edge acts as a stop. During construction, glass was wet-glazed into the opening.

Because of the height of the stair tower walls, the CMU is 12 inches thick. Both sides of the wall are stone veneer and built around this CMU backup.

"Continental supplied the stone with a sawn bed face, and the masons cut and finished the head joints, in particular the corners, to keep those lines nice and crisp," Hargrave said. Details include the use of solid lintel blocks, Lueders caps throughout and a "zipper strip" of larger roughback that zigzags up the face of the stair tower.

In addition to veneer stone, some monolithic stone steps inside and outside the structure act as risers and tread, so each is a solid piece of material. Some outside stairs use solid stone slabs as well.

Other notable stone features incorporated into the design include granite countertops in the bathroom and kitchen. The kitchen countertops actually project outside to make an outdoor service bar. The countertop also acts as the windowsill.

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