A Contemporary Take on the Traditional Farmhouse

Words by Sam Lauron Photos by Ryan Ford & Andrea Calo

Something that is always present in FAB Architecture’s thoughtful creations is the dedication to timeless design. As founder and principal architect Patrick Ousey puts it, they strive to “look to the past and build with technologies of today.” This practice was more than evident in their Urban Farmhouse project.

When Royce Flournoy, President of Texas Construction Company, approached FAB Architecture about building a home for him, he had a very specific vision in mind. Inspired by a home FAB designed in the Agave Development, he wanted to recreate it on a lot he had purchased in East Austin. The Agave home was agrarian in style and, as Patrick suggests, was one of the first farmhouse-style homes in Central Texas. 

The challenge with this particular project, however, was with the lot. As Patrick describes, the tight “postage-stamp-size” infill lot was only 35 feet deep and 70 feet long. The unique characteristics of the property forced FAB to rethink the traditional farmhouse structure and create a simplified version that would not only fit in with the neighborhood but also highlight the home’s contemporary features. 

An exceptionally long and narrow structure with a spacious floor plan resulted. These design elements allowed light to come through on all sides of the house creating an open home beaming with natural light. 

Using the simple, agrarian form as its framework, Patrick says the team “amplified it with simple materials” including traditional clapboard and regimented windows on the exterior and pine floors, white walls, and black accents on the interior. 

“The simplicity of the interior, the simplicity of the shape, and the simplicity of the materials we used,” Patrick explains, “all lend itself to the ease that people see in that house.”

One element that pops against the pared down design, and something that ended up being central to the layout of the home, was the steel stairway. Because the house is located so close to the street, the team decided to create an additional layer of privacy, and the stairway ended up being the perfect solution. They placed it toward the front of the house, in front of the high windows, and used it as a buffer to prevent views from the outside in, being so close to the street. The high windows, however, still allow light to filter into the rest of the home. 

Completed in 2013, the Urban Farmhouse has proven that classic design is at the root of any home where simplicity is a vital element that can easily stand the test of time.

Contact:
FAB Architecture
(512) 469-0775
fabarchitecture.com 
405 Cumberland Rd.
@fab_architecture_austin