BARRERA HOUSE

1,920 SF Residence  •  San Antonio TX •  2023

Photography: Dror Baldinger, FAIA

Contractor: Tracey Kop & Long House Builders

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Like a Rubix Cube, the Barrera House offers a seemingly simple solution to a complex program. The Barrera House sits on a 4,200sf property within a dense, downtown historic district. The house is shaped by its context, the client’s relationship to their tight-knit community, and their stewardship of the environment.

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Covered outdoor spaces offer both connection to and respite from the city. The primary living spaces are upstairs, where the clients enjoy quiet, privacy and views. This frees the ground plane for landscape, rainwater collection, concealed off-street parking and a lap pool. Multi-level porches relate to the pattern of small porches, terraces and balconies lining the street.

 

A central staircase provides efficient circulation and frames moments of discovery as you ascend into the living spaces. Above, vaulted ceilings reveal a surprising view of the tower. The living spaces extend onto covered porches for year-round enjoyment.

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AIA San Antonio Single-Family Residential Award 2024 •  Residential Design Vol 1. 2024  •  "Spectacular Women of Architecture & Design Texas" by Jolie Carpenter Barry 2024