Perched astride a hilltop, the Barton Hills Residence commands sweeping views of Austin’s Barton Creek greenbelt valley. The home is aligned east/west against the meandering terrain to catch daylight and prevailing breezes, while defining two distinct views: an unobstructed southern expanse over the greenbelt and a landscaped courtyard to the north. The visitor descends around a sculpted concrete wall that offers only hints of the greenbelt view beyond. Seemingly on grade at the entry, one suddenly encounters a breathtaking elevated panorama.

The exterior wood, stone, Cor-Ten steel, and board-formed concrete are intended to mature gracefully along with the surrounding landscape. In the narrative spatial sequence centering the residence, one passes suddenly from ordinary suburbia to a lush natural enclave, encountering an ever-shifting balance of the complex, rugged, and refined.