CIELO HOUSE

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Perched on the brow of a hill in the Texas Hill Country sits the Cielo House. The 3100 sq. ft. house is for a psychologist and his girlfriend who wanted a place of solace. Accommodation of the client’s somewhat monastic lifestyle was an important part of the program. The plan has two wings (public and private), which are connected by a glass entry/corridor. An elevated covered patio on both sides of the entry create a modern version of the “dog trot” plan. Large glass expanses direct the views to capture particular vistas and details in the landscape beyond.

The house was designed to showcase and preserve the owner’s collection of art including; Motherwell, Lichtenstein, Stella, Dine & de Kooning. The steel structure is clad in stone and stucco. Commercial window/door systems, a low slope roof and galvanized metal fascias pay homage to Mid-Century Modernist architecture.

The house’s orientation, sheltering roof overhangs and glass placement use time honored methods for passive cooling, ventilation and natural lighting.The spare palette of long lasting materials make it sustainable and cost effective to live in.