e.1 ‘21
// bernbaum/magadini architects
THE EVOLUTION OF LIVING by Kendall Morgan
Bernbaum/Magadini Architects design the homes of the future for the families of today.
and Patricia Magadini continue to perfect the fine art of letting necessity become the mother of invention.
Innovative solutions in architecture were already the Dallas-based firm Bernbaum/Magadini’s stock and trade, yet the way Covid-19 rapidly change resident’s needs led them to lean into 2020’s word of the year— the pivot.
“When the whole lockdown thing happened, we were worried,” says Tricy Magadini. “We didn’t know what was going to happen—nobody knew! We pulled back a little bit, but our phone was still ringing. I don’t know what happened, but I guess people started looking at their houses. If they were spending a bunch of time at home, they said, ‘Let’s do something that we love.’”
As advocates for their clients, principals Bruce Bernbaum
Along with a huge resurgence in creating separate workfrom-home spaces, the architects also refined add-ons like dedicated outdoor-facing closets complete with a refrigeration area for food and prescription deliveries. Deliverymen can make drop-offs via accessing a code on the door, while homeowners “pick up” their packages through a locked door in the house. The ever-present mudroom is revamped with shoe storage and sinks, and utility rooms have extra space
for craft areas or new appliances that steam or refresh clothes. The heart of the home—the kitchen—also gets a makeover with a back-of-the-house space holding a butler pantry, refrigerator, and dishwasher, allowing caterers and home cooks to create their magic behind the scenes. And finally, with outdoor space at a premium, porches with heated floors, ceiling fans, and outdoor kitchens became a finishing touch requested by every discerning homeowner.
“Another thing we’ve been hearing is people didn’t want their houses to be too open,” says Magadini. “Everyone had kids moving back home, so the whole family dynamic changed. Having everyone in one big open space is not ideal.” The ubiquitous spacious layouts of the contemporary era still include an open kitchen and family room. Even so, Bernbaum/Magadini are devising flexible satellite spaces that can serve as “whatever the homeowner wants it to be”—be it a studio, man cave, media room, or the ideal home office.
What hasn’t changed in the past year is the partner’s devotion to the design tenets that made them a success. Adjectives consistently used to describe their airy, glass-filled abodes are “calm,” “zen,” “textural,” and “light.” Since the partners founded their firm over two decades ago, they’ve refined their site-specific process to make the most of the terrain on which their designs reside. Materials like rich wood, Texas limestone, and stucco are chosen to complement the landscape, with natural elements highlighted as the focal points outside all of those expansive windows. Preferably teaming with an interior designer, lighting designer, and landscape architect from the earliest planning stages, a completed Bernbaum/Magadini
house serves as an urban retreat that allows its owners to exhale from the exact moment they walk through the front door. “The way we design is from the inside out,” says Magadini of their process. “We want to make sure the plan functions well. I know some architects start with the object and put the function inside it, but we start with how you want to live in your house. A beautiful lot with beautiful trees is going to inspire us to connect the house to the property. In Dallas, we don’t have a lot of opportunity to orient the house to the ocean or the mountains, but if we can use the site to our advantage,
we do it.” Friends since they met at the University of Arizona, Bernbaum and Magadini both relocated to Dallas (the former’s hometown) post-graduation. After working for different architectural firms locally, they found themselves leasing office space next to each other. It seemed only natural for the two to dip in to help from time to time on each other’s projects. Because two heads were better than one, they formed a partnership in 1998 that has endured through their
industry’s many ups and downs. The pairing works as well as it does due to their complementary skill sets. “Several years ago, we had an office retreat and had to write down things we like to do and don’t like to do, and Bruce and I had the same list in opposing columns! He’s very detail-oriented and great with managing the office—his construction drafts are as perfect as can be. I do most of the design work and am an out-of-the-box
thinker. You can just tell by looking at the inside of our offices. I’ve got junk piled everywhere, and he’s got neat piles, and everything is organized and methodical.” With 30 current projects in development, the future looks bright—Magadini says buyers have already snapped up several of the architects’ rare spec homes (including a soft contemporary on Manning Lane and another expansive abode on Bluffview). However, the market may evolve in the future, and whatever style of construction they explore, Bernbaum/Magadini’s intent remains the same. bmarchitects.com
“I think anybody who is building a new home with an architect is building their dream home. For me, that’s always the goal.” – Tricy Magadini