Standing as a counter-proposal to the contemporary Tudor mansions and French chateaus that dominate Dallas’ Highland Park neighborhood, this project eschews exterior grandeur for an extraordinary interior environment. The central concept of the home was to provide a compelling setting for an active family with three young children and a significant collection of contemporary art.
“This is a beautifully done house. Elegant, bold, and stately in a refreshing way, bringing together two programs in a seamless way.” – Jury comment
With no significant natural features or trees on the site and neighbors looming on either side, the team shaped an exciting new landscape that disguises the home’s garage and presents an invitation to occupy in new and unexpected ways. Hovering precariously at the building line is an unadulterated stone bar that bends to define a private setting and cantilevers 35 feet at the entrance. A separate gallery building, carefully calibrated to host a rotating display of artworks, supports the private milieu from behind.
As visitors stroll through the property, while a series of expectations are created from the outset. Inside, they are both drawn horizontally into the landscape and further into the house. The home’s living room is carved into the stone bar above, giving the space unexpected height. A bewildering expanse of curved glass panels and retracting doors support the space and encourage transition through the home and into the landscape.
“This is a beautifully done house,” noted the jury. “Elegant, bold, and stately in a refreshing way, bringing together two programs in a seamless way. The design feels livable and intimate despite its size, and the landscape defies the overworked pretensions of its context.”
“The design feels livable and intimate despite its size, and the landscape defies the overworked pretensions of its context.” – Jury comment
Throughout, the team paired raw and refined finishes, such as mill-finished steel that abuts Indiana limestone panels and handmade tiles from Mexico alongside elegant walnut cabinetry. As a result, the home’s impeccable detail highlights the intersection of nature, art, and socialization.
The clients were deeply engaged with the process, living across the street for the 30 months of construction and visiting the site daily. Similarly, the design team worked closely with the landscape architect to create an environment that seamlessly transitions between the highly orchestrated interior and carefully constructed landscape. The clients had lived in more traditional homes, but their new residence simultaneously adheres to their domestic and artistic visions.
Highland Park Residence
Architect: Alterstudio Architecture, LLP
Location: Highland Park, Texas
Category: One- and Two-Family Custom Residences
Additional information
Consultant – Interior Designer: SZPROJECTS (Silvia Zofio)
Consultant – Lighting Design: Essential Light Design Studio LLC
Engineer – Structural: Ellinwood + Machado Structural Engineers
Engineer – Mechanical/Energy: Positive Energy
General Contractor: Steven Hild Custom Builder
Landscape Architect: Hocker
Audio/Visual consultant: Brobus Technologies, Inc
Photography: Casey Dunn
Jury
Etty Padmodipoetro, AIA, Chair, Urban Idea Lab, Boston
Kenneth Luker, AIA, Perkins Will, Durham, N.C.
Marica McKeel, AIA, Studio MM Architect, New York
Patricia Leigh Brown, New York Times, San Francisco