link-kiker residence
November 2019
concrete: Abel Rodriguez
lighting: Kelly Francis Illumination
mailbox + fire feature: Bold MFG
tour: Austin Outdoor Living Tour 2020
The site is an inversion of a traditional single-family lot with the home in the back and the yard in the front. The architect encapsulated the entire site in a tall fence, to create privacy.
A steel and concrete mailbox greets visitors and provides passers-by with a sample of the material palette that lies within the cedar-fenced property. One of three zones of clumping bamboo line the exterior fence, softening the expanse of cedar and providing a visual counterbalance to the mailbox.
Upon entry through the custom access gate, the space is subdivided with the Eastern quarter of the yard devoted to entry. Two elements flank the sidewalk insinuating a subtle corridor. To the left is a board-form concrete wall faced with gulf muhlys and to the right is a linear row of artemisia.
Beyond the artemisia delineation exists the “living” portion of the property. A small composite deck serves the living room and allows access to the lawn and concrete patio. A steel grate catwalk borders the western edge of the deck and invites users to round the corner and connect to the side-yard amenities. The catwalk delicately hovers over the flowering native plants and bridges the living room and kitchen decks.
The “L” shaped kitchen deck is gratuitously sized allowing flexibility in furniture arrangements. In an effort to produce as little waste as possible, the decking itself is arranged with small reveals that organize the boards in columns. The corner of the deck is nestled by a small rail that allows the homeowners to maximize the space without feeling concerns of slipping over the deck’s edge. Finally, the end of the deck terminates in a framed view of a custom water feature with a clumping bamboo backdrop.
