Text description provided by the architects. Despite mathematical logic, sometimes 1 + 1 = 3. The home office addition not only complements the existing house and balances the dynamic West Austin lot but also created a newly framed portal to an adjacent creek and a rich landscape beyond. As a flexible space for both working and entertaining, the addition is fit for three to five employees while accommodating gatherings and parties.

Site Plan

The solid front facade is clad with wood and stucco, minimal and subtle yet tailored to the privacy needs of the clients who work in the financial sector. By offsetting the wood panel portion of the front wall, the office harvests daylight from the street elevation through side windows that are hidden from the street view. A glass entry connects the new to the existing, offering a clear view of and direct access to the unique natural beauty of the site.

Unlike its solid front, the back side of the home office opens up to the outdoors with large windows, floor to ceiling glass sliding doors and a patio tucked between tree canopies overlooking the creek. Wood ceilings extend out, further strengthening the indoor and outdoor connection. In addition to the two individual office spaces, an operable wall divides the main space when needed. The roofline of the new addition has been kept true to the existing house’s midcentury modern tradition, yet with a new twist in detailing and material appropriation.

© Charles Davis Smith

• Architects

  Matt Fajkus Architecture

• Location

  Texas, United States

• Category

  Offices Interiors

• Architecture Design Team

  David Birt, Matt Fajkus

• Project Year

  2017

• Photographs

  Charles Davis Smith