No. 17
FALL 2012
regional focus: hamptons, ny
GOING COASTAL Behind the scenes of New York’s most exclusive getaway
PLUS:
the designers of
asid florida north Inspirational interiors from the organization’s top talent
designer showcase: wilson associates ALSO: ike kligerman barkley Mark p. Finlay architects + tyler development
$12.99
ARCHITECTS
The Treemont Home Completed: 2011 Location: Rollingwood/ Austin, TX
J Square Architecture, LLC
jsquarearch.com
Smart design turns ‘unbuildable’ into ‘unbelievable’ by Amy Howell Hirt While working as principals at an architecture firm in Austin, TX, James Shieh and Jay Dupont realized they shared a proclivity for using intensive site studies as the roots for a project’s direction, and a particular affinity for lots that were considered “too difficult to develop.”
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“We were both interested in the natural features of a site and how they can drive the design concept – taking something that nobody wanted to build on, and using that to our advantage to create unique spaces that work with the landscape,” Dupont says. It turns out they also have a knack for making it beautiful. In 2007, Shieh and Dupont joined forces and J Square Architecture was born. Where others see unbuildable sites, they see unique opportunities for creativity. In the rapidly growing Austin area, the architecture and interior design firm has found its niche transforming forgotten, misfit lots into enviable neighborhood jewels. While sustainable development and responsible growth have become popular marketing strategies in the industry, for Dupont and Shieh it all comes down to smart design that makes sense - for the site, the homeowner, the budget, the community and the environment. “We’re seeing a smarter client, and the trend is less quantity and more quality, which suits our sensibilities perfectly,” Shieh says. Their ability to replace constraints with creative solutions is apparent on a pie-shaped hillside lot in a gated community that sat vacant for years. To compensate for the unforgiving slope and the hot Texas sun, the architects diverged with some conventions and created a home that delivers a feast of unexpected spaces. By situating the garage closest to the street and “bridging” the home further down the hillside, they avoided the potential moisture problems and lack of natural light that come with conditioned space abutting a retaining wall. This created a cool nook between the home and hillside retaining wall, giving birth to a relaxing private courtyard. The Treemont home includes several simple, but effective sustainable techniques. Smart choices
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FALL 2012
ARCHITECTS
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The Treemont Home What started as a speculative home for builder Jeffrey Cole became a work of art in progress when interior designer Malea Mason of Mason Davis Interiors purchased the Treemont Home. “This house transformed during construction,” Mason says. “It was already a great plan, we just took it to ‘grand’ with input from myself, Cole and Jay.” The team took full advantage of the home’s hillside placement and played with perspective, incorporating a wood-and-steel entry bridge that greets guests in unexpected, regal fashion. An office loft seems to “float” above the dining room, and the master bath features a cantilevered wall of windows that brings the outdoors in, contrasting a modern tub from Victoria + Albert and a light fixture from Possini. This synergy creates one of the most picturesque spaces in the dining room, where the contemporary lighting and custom recessed wine cooler play against exposed wood ceiling beams, custom Brazilian cherry flooring, Texas limestone walls and custom leather chairs by Costantini Pietro.
01 Faced with the challenges of a difficult site, the designers took advantage of the steep slope by separating the home from the slope, and sinking the private levels below. The main entry becomes a dramatic procession across the wood.
photos: Paul Bardagjy
02 The relaxed, warm contemporary living room opens to the outdoors with corner windows, transoms and sliding glass doors. The hardwood deck looks out to the expansive views and down to the pool below. 04 Walls of windows and strategically placed wood decks integrate indoor and outdoor spaces. The pool/hot tub rear terrace is the main centerpiece while the large roof overhangs and solar orientation help to shade the space from the Texas sun.
luxuryhomequarterly.com
include site placement and orientation, large roof overhangs, a lack of windows on the western wall, and preservation and use of mature trees. In addition, a tower has a chimney effect to increase natural ventilation while shading the outdoor pool and entertainment area. Of course responsibility is not always as romantic as saving a tree, and J Square’s residential designs include smart choices for nitty-gritty mechanical considerations, like placing ductwork within the home’s thermal envelope and using hybrid insulation systems, radiant barriers and thermallybroken windows. Responsible design is also cost-conscious and efficient, so Dupont and Shieh start with simple, rectilinear designs that adhere to standard material unit sizes and keep construction costs under control. Creative solutions – often inspired by their commercial experience – help deliver equal results for less. The home’s expansive windows, for example, have a commercial look but are residential-type and about half the cost, thanks to an extra support structure system developed by J Square Architecture.
“We really try to find a way to spend less and make it look like we spent more,” Dupont says. The duo has found this sensible approach is beneficial beyond individual homes and neighborhoods. “With everything we learn in our business, there are ways to give back and help the city with good design and good planning,” says Shieh, who served as a zoning and platting commissioner for Austin and currently chairs the city’s design commission, helping to reduce urban sprawl and direct development along the city’s new urban centers. Not as geographically close to home, they also provide pro bono design services for new energyefficient schools in developing countries. Given this inclusive philosophy, it only makes sense that there are no job-specific duties and no corner offices in this six-person, boutique-style firm; there is just good design that is meant to be shared. “Architecture is experienced by the masses, [and] that social responsibility is inherent in our studio environment,” Shieh says. “Everybody is involved in every project at every stage. It’s social design, where only the best solutions are implemented.”
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