I am pleased to report that one of my projects has been selected for the 2012 Austin Modern Home Tour. Please stop by 104 Thistle Court on February 4th from 11 am to 6 pm to have a look and say hi – apologies in advance if I am unable to chat with you. More information can be found at modernhometouraustin.com.
This home is designed for casual family living. Spaces are simple, open, and connected to the outdoors. Simple, durable materials are used to articulate and enrich the design. The home design also employs and integrates passive and active solar design strategies and technologies: the home is lit primarily with natural light during the day, two large roof mounted PV arrays produce power during the day, and a large roof mounted water heating system is used for the pool. The roof, in addition to being the protective cover of the home, is also a massive resource collecting device – all rainwater is harvested, solar energy is converted into power or hot water. Likewise, the back porch, in addition to being the primary outdoor living space for the family, is a device used to mitigate solar heat gain on the west-facing portion of the home.