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First and Second Floor Plan 1 Living 2 Bedroom 3 Bathroom 4 Powder Room 5 Mechanical 6 Loft 7 Storage
Set a distance from the main residence, the guest house’s simple form and metal cladding imbues the building with an initial appearance of no-nonsense utility and an enigmatic quality that, enhanced by the site’s rugged landscape, presents a self-contained focus. Upon arrival, visitors are greeted by the monumental north elevation with its two-story wall that leans slightly away from the viewer and toward the edge of the bluff. The lack of windows sets an ascetic tone. Many architects might have been distracted by the temptation to puncture this elevation, affording the occupant a glimpse of an approaching guest or a view across the tree tops. Another example of the architect’s extraordinarily rigorous approach to the design is the exclusion of decks, terraces, or obvious outdoors spaces that might help integrate the building spatially into its immediate surroundings. In fact, the metallic exterior and trim envelope make the building appear less than permanently fixed in the landscape and more like a vehicle temporarily parked. This transitory character also gives it the quality of a large animal quietly resting and staring sphinx-like out beyond the cliff toward Lake Buchanan and the distant horizon. A minimal path of crushed stone leads visitors along the side of the guest house to a modest stoop and side entry. The interior of the guest house – except for the south elevation – is different in tone from its exterior, possessing the relaxed refinement found in much of the architect’s other work. The passion shared among the owner, builder, and architect for precision of construction is clear. And although many of the materials are modest (storefront aluminum windows, metal “C” panel
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