Despite the damage of Hurricane Harvey, the clients maintained a desire to call this neighborhood their home. They wanted to consider how the design of the house could respond to potential future storms, providing resilience while allowing for an outdoor lifestyle and connection to the landscape. The design mitigates the necessity of raising the house with this desire to connect to outdoor spaces. In response, the design provides for outdoor living spaces at the ground level while also recessing outdoor spaces within the volumes of home.

Located within the 100-year flood plain, the design creates a prototype for residential construction in the areas adjacent to Houston's bayous. Rather than following the minimum 5' lift dictated by FEMA, the first floor is elevated a full story above grade. The ground level accommodates spaces for outdoor living, storage, and parking, while upper floors contain spaces for indoor living and working. The volumes of the upper floors rest on the stucco walls of the ground level, cantilevering slightly to provide a sense of depth.

The house offers resilience against future flooding, with the CMU and stucco finish of the ground level able to resist potential damage. The flat roofs reduce the potential for uplift to occur during hurricane force winds. A photovoltaic array provides energy during a power outage and offsets energy requirements during Houston's summers. Rainwater is collected and stored in cisterns. This rainwater is used to maintain a garden that primarily features native plants and fruit trees.  

Arriving at the house, one slips under this volume and ascends to the second volume emerging at the kitchen and dining zones. Movement towards the living room at the home’s lowest level allows reengagement of the yard via the deck, fulfilling the homeowner’s desire to maintain connection to the yard despite the necessity of a raised elevation. Bedrooms are stacked above, with the master suite boasting a cantilevered balcony and spiral staircase with direct access to the deck and tree grove below.

AIA Houston 2023 Design Award Winner

Photo: César Béjar Studio | Contractor: Mainland Construction |  Engineer: Fractal