Texas architects create semi-Brutalist home in Dallas

New York and Austin-based firm Specht Architects has recently completed the Preston Hollow home, an 8,000-square-foot residence influenced by the classic Dallas modern homes of the 1950's and 1960's. Among the defining features of the home are its heavy cast-concrete walls that extend from the interior our into the surrounding landscape, creating outdoor spaces and courtyards that help frame views from inside the home. The concrete walls were cast using a custom-fabricated formwork that creates a corrugated appearance. "This technique, a staple of Brutalist architecture from the 1960's and 1970's, creates a play on shadows and pattern that changes throughout the day," said Scott Specht, founder of Specht Architects. "Unlike the Brutalist work from that era, however, the heavy walls here are countered by delicate steel columns, thin window frames, and the hovering edges of the roof. The concrete is a grounding element that provides a contrast to the overall lightness of the spaces." ...