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Our newest home, Vista Residence, has been featured on ArchDaily, the world's #1 architecture website! Tucked into a steep site in West Austin, the Vista Residence is organized around a three-story, sculptural steel staircase that acts as the hinge point for the residence, with rooms and hallways unfolding from it on every floor. Assembled from 5/8” thick plate steel with white oak treads, the staircase took eight months to fabricate, assemble, and paint.

The staircase is part of a procession that starts with a low-slung facade facing the street. A series of massive concrete walls extends out into the landscape, creating a series of outdoor spaces and drawing visitors in. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide a glimpse of the central staircase and the views beyond, while the metal roof sweeps upward in a low, graceful arc.

The exterior motifs of this front elevation are indicative of the home’s overall design. Exposed concrete, metal, and concrete panel cladding—chosen for their ease of maintenance—are the predominant materials. The distinct sloped roof profiles provide directionality, essentially “pointing” to the views beyond. The innovative cladding system of concrete panels doubles as a rainscreen, protecting the structure from the elements and providing increased thermal efficiency.