Hog Pen Creek Residence

Hog Pen Creek Residence sits on the tree-encompassed confluence of Hog Pen Creek and Lake Austin. The owners envisioned a space that would celebrate outdoor living and maximize the lake's tranquil views. The 5-acre site is quickly reduced to a one quarter acre buildable area thanks to easements, a flood plain, and building setbacks. Pecan and cypress trees shroud the eroded shoreline. These challenges yield an L-shaped design that successfully answers the site constraints. A one story west wing lies low to the ground with a two story main house tucked in the trees. Outdoor covered porches and walkways seamlessly blend inside and out. A stair-stepping boardwalk spine connects all elements of the house to the lake, so that one enters and exits by walking over water. A 75-foot lap pool fits tightly on the west end, underneath the weight of the house, accommodating the owner? s off-season triathlon training. The house? s weight rests on a concrete shell supported by steel piles bearing on the rock layer deep below the grade. The pool sits in a second concrete shell built inside the supportive shell. A pool within a pool, the shells are separated by insulation and waterproofing layers to move independently of one another, preventing cracking. The main living area, a two-story single width volume with a master bedroom loft and porches on either end, enjoys cool prevailing breezes and shade from adjacent oak trees. A movable, barn-like door, the bedroom wall provides privacy when needed from the living room below, allowing the house to be both intimate and airy. A fallen pecan tree is used to craft many interior furnishings including the dining table, bathroom vanities, crafted shelving and custom office desks. Intricate design combined with a high level of detail and reverence for materiality result in a unique home.