Exotic East Austin
Three homes that are uniquely East
Words by Jess Hagemann Photos by Ryan Michael, Paul Bardagjy, & Andrea Calo
Architect Thomas Bercy (of Bercy Chen Studio) was just 11 years old when he signed up for his first art class in Brussels and fell head over heels for design. He recalls an instant and abiding affinity for graphite, charcoal, and India ink. These raw materials brought his visions of sustainably built, story-driven structures to life on the page—and eventually, after graduating from UT’s School of Architecture, to East Austin’s empty lots.
Today, Bercy Chen Studio predominately designs commercial buildings, but Thomas likes to mix it up with “half a dozen homes a year,” plus multi-family, office, and mixed-use structures. “With commercial,” he says, “it’s often about the bottom line … but with a house, there’s a story—a clear narrative that comes from the home owners and our collaboration.” Residential projects also allow Thomas “more freedom to experiment,” as these three exotic homes demonstrate.
Edgeland House
“Too many people in Texas think of homes as big air-conditioned boxes,” Thomas laments, “and they don’t interact with the outdoors. We want a continuum between inside and out, with a focus on outdoor living.”
Nowhere is this aesthetic more evident than Bercy Chen’s “fully buried” house, modeled after a Native American “pit house,” or hogan. In place of a branch-based thatch roof, steel I-beams support a “living roof” of native plants and grasses (sourced from Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center) that makes the dwelling energy efficient and pays homage to the Texas prairie. An annual orchestra of Texas bluebonnet, Indian paintbrush, and Mexican Hat flowers speaks to the passing of time and the wabi-sabi changing of the seasons.
Riverview Gardens
Whenever possible, Bercy Chen takes inspiration and direction from the immediate environment of Central Texas.. These separate, but matching, residences located near Fiesta Gardens are comprised of three 40-foot-tall “super structures on stilts,” complete with rooftop terraces and cantilevered top floors that, when it rains, create “curtains of falling water” reminiscent of Hamilton Pool.
The intentionally thin, long design channels wind off the lake to reduce temperature, while sandstone shipped from India regulates humidity by absorbing moisture on very wet days and releasing it when the air is dry.
Casa Marrakech
According to Thomas, “Every residence starts with a dialogue: how many bedrooms, how many bathrooms.” These details he calls “important but trivial,” noting: “We want to get to the philosophical. What are the clients’ interests? Where do they travel? How do they entertain? The more abstract, the better for the creativity of the design.”
Bercy Chen’s latest Eastside residence is a nod to Moorish architecture. It reflects “life in a harsh desert climate,” like Morocco, and attempts to reclaim “peace in the middle of chaos” through the use of soothing water features and beautiful mashrabiya privacy screens. The home’s interior (including the floors!) was painted, at the owner’s request, 100% white. Color, says Thomas, “comes through art, furnishings, and vegetation,” plus a distinct blue door that mimics Marrakech’s Majorelle Garden (the final resting place of Yves Saint Laurent).
Bercy Chen Studio
Early adopters of Austin’s Eastside, Bercy Chen Studio has enjoyed a few different locations since their founding in 2001. They worked on Rosewood Avenue for a time, before moving to their current space on East 11th. The present studio was both designed and built by the firm to capitalize on the area’s “compelling geometry.” As Thomas explains it: “Each face of the building orients itself to a landmark around the site: the capitol, a historic church, etc.” Its overlapping and offset ‘sections’ represent the “cantilevering boulders of Austin’s greenbelt,” and are accordingly framed in COR-TEN steel, which naturally oxidizes for a rustic, weathered appearance.
As parking became an issue for the studio, however, Thomas started looking for “more space in a parklike setting.” Last year, Bercy Chen bought a property on Govalle, just north of a park, and has since begun construction on a 54,000-sq. ft. facility, part of which will be leased to other professional creatives as a means of fostering “synergy between different businesses.” In keeping with Bercy Chen’s values, the “industrial-style, wedge-shaped” building will feature lots of natural light, a giant library, and earn a 3-star rating from the U.S. Green Business Council.
Built to Budget
Think you can’t afford a Bercy Chen home? Think again. “We like building high-end homes,” Thomas comments, “as well as affordable housing.” Budget constraints come as a welcome challenge to this guru, who says, “There’s a beauty in art when there’s a struggle … You just have to put more thought and care into the design.”
Contact:
Bercy Chen Studio
(512) 481-0092
1111 E 11th St., Ste. 200
bcarc.com
