Located in the Hill Country of Austin and positioned at the threshold of a meadow and a cedar forest which dominate the 55 acre site, the main house at Bull Creek Ranch comprises a series of courtyards and interior spaces that bring the experience of the outdoor landscape deep into the building’s interior.

The site is meant to be a venue for the display and enjoyment of the client’s extraordinary art collection, which spans both contemporary and traditional works, including large-scale outdoor sculptures and installations, as well as a series of interior galleries. Upon arrival the visitor is channeled into the foyer, at which point the open expanse of the meadow beyond begins to unfold.  The house is organized as a series of intersecting lines. Courtyards that are caught within these intersections filter light into the depths of the floor below. These courtyards merge the house’s public and private zones into a unified whole, just as the house stitches the forest and the meadow together.

At various points within the home’s form, the courtyards appear to overlap in perspective, creating interplay between open and closed spaces.  On the western elevation, the transparency and reflection generated by the layering of glass walls produces a simultaneous experience of house and nature, bringing the expansive views of the surrounding landscape inwards.  The eastern elevation of the house is sheltered and protected, composed of opaque walls, and forming the backbone of the building. This private zone arches itself around the central courtyards, grafting with the communal spaces, while still maintaining intimate environments amenable to family living.  Between these two programmatic zones resides a solid suspended volume which houses a collection of Renaissance paintings and books.  Both in its positioning and function, this room becomes the central social and intellectual hub around which family members gather and share in the day’s activities.