River Ranch

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This 3,592-square-foot home\nin Texas\u2019 harsh Hill Country is an exploration of materials and the myriad\nbenefits they can provide users. Rammed earth walls emerge from the landscape\nto form a protective shell and anchor the home to the site. In contrast,\nexpanses of glass open physical and visual connections to the outdoors.\nTogether, the home\u2019s features work in concert to form a strong connection to\nthe land. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The home\u2019s rammed earth\nwalls bring a highly textural and colorful material to the project, setting the\ntone for its interior spaces. The walls are starkly different from typical\nwalls in the way they shift acoustics and even bring a subtle earthy aroma to\nthe home. In addition to its beauty, the material was chosen for several\nreasons, namely sustainability and the client\u2019s embrace of the Texas landscape.\nThe walls are constructed from decomposed gravel, a local waste material, and\ntheir thickness prompts a slow temperature shift inside the home that allows\nits HVAC system to perform better. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Since rammed earth is not a\ncommon material, the team embarked on a lengthy exploration of its\npossibilities, creating several iterations of walls to test variables such as\naggregates, tamping methods, and thicknesses. Many local tradespeople and\nartisans built the home, allowing them to embrace new methods of construction\nas they honed their arts. Additionally, the research the team developed\nthroughout the course of the project has been shared broadly with fellow design\nprofessionals and contractors at local and state conferences."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Throughout the home,\nelements such as a sculptural copper fireplace, steel details, and local\nlimestone floors complement the walls and add differing textures. The client\u2019s\ncollection of artifacts like African shields and Native American rugs highlight in the home, and the focus on works demonstrating mastery of craft\nunderscores the relationship between the collection and the home\u2019s hand-tamped\nwalls. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Large, well-protected glass\nwalls and clerestories allow natural light to flood the main living spaces and\nprimary bedroom. The views they afford of the surrounding 150-acre site give\nthe home\u2019s smaller spaces a sense of expansiveness while also delivering light\nand movement to a courtyard garden. Beneath the garden sits a 35,000-gallon\ntank that captures rainwater from the roof and supplies the entire house. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Even though River Ranch is\na private residence, it benefits the surrounding community by respecting the\nland, relying on natural materials, and protecting an aquifer that has been\nseverely depleted by overuse and droughts. "]]]]}