This Austin Abode Channels Its Midcentury Predecessor for a Multigenerational Family’s Next Chapter
On a steeply sloping site in Austin, Texas, a family home for three generations finds balance between autonomy and connection.
On a steeply sloping site in Austin, Texas, a family home for three generations finds balance between autonomy and connection.
The Descendant House is the runner-up in the 2022 Andersen Bright Ideas Awards in the single family category. Explore all of this year’s single family and multifamily winners and runners-up on our Awards page.
An Austin couple had been living in their home for 10 years when a substantial overhaul became pressing to mitigate compounding maintenance and structural issues. Despite the home’s midcentury pedigree—it was designed by local architect Roland Roessner in the mid-1950s—a failing foundation made it impractical to remodel as they originally intended. After gaining approval from the Historic Landmark Commission, they instead made plans to rebuild and start fresh.
A nod to the home’s midcentury roots, warm and honest materials are favored in one of the home’s three bedroom suites.
Photo by Casey Dunn
Located on a tree-lined street a few miles from downtown Austin, the original home was sited on a steeply sloping, wooded lot, perched to negotiate the hilly terrain while thoughtfully engaging with the natural surroundings. Envisioning a new home that would create space for two additional generations—their daughter’s family and young grandson—the couple turned to Matt Fajkus Architecture to reimagine the midcentury residence for their expanded family unit.
Window divisions were inspired by the mullion patterns of the original home. "This expression of the mullions allows them to become a bit like looking out through the site’s tree trunks, which dissolves the interior and exterior division," says architect Sarah Johnson.
Photo by Casey Dunn
The new home is configured in three overlapping volumes, clad in different materials to delineate function, each volume designed to meet the needs of one—or several—segments of the family. Anchoring the house to the site is the masonry volume, which includes guest and utilitarian functions, and acts as a transitional space from private to public. The bright and airy wood and glass volume includes communal family space for all generations to enjoy, along with the grandparents’ living quarters. The white stucco mass soars above the tree canopy, and comprises the younger generation’s family space.
The home’s three overlapping volumes—each clad in a distinctive material—represent different function, and a different relationship to the site.
Courtesy of Matt Fajkus Architecture
See the full story on Dwell.com: This Austin Abode Channels Its Midcentury Predecessor for a
Multigenerational Family’s Next Chapter
