Nolen Residence

PROJECT LOCATION: Blanco River - Wimberley, Texas
CLIENT: Norman and Martha Nolen
DOC: Spring 2003

DESCRIPTION:
The program called for a new residence for a couple nearing retirement that could accommodate the daily needs of the two persons but have the capacity to expand to accommodate three visiting adult sons and their growing families. What resulted was a single story, linear plan that is one room deep whose circulation parallels the flow of the Blanco River on which it fronts. Rooms were placed to take maximum advantage of different outdoor features including topography, stone outcroppings, magnificent live oaks which offer shade and interest, and site lines to the river. The concept was of a series of functional elements separated by "dog runs," some literal and some suggested.


The guest house comprised of three individual guest suites that open to a deep covered porch facing the river and is separated from the public house by a dog run breezeway.

The public house contains the entry to the house that is a glazed gallery opening toward the river. To one side is a large gathering room with fireplace, hidden bar, and powder room. To the opposite side of the entry is a country kitchen and dining room topped by a dormer to admit north light into the core of the house. A fireplace separates this space from the large screened room with its commanding views of the lake and its own outdoor fireplace.

The public element of the house is separated by a narrow corridor from the private element of the house containing study, master bedroom, and bath. A separate barn serves as storage for vehicles, provides a workroom/shop, and additional storage space.

About BAI

Founded in 1983, we are dedicated to exceptional architectural and interior solutions to client programs. Our portfolio of completed work exhibits the true enjoyment that we feel for what we do – creative problem solving in collaboration with our extraordinary clients. We are fortunate to have numerous repeat clients and the majority of our work comes from referrals.

“Good buildings don’t just happen. They are planned to look good and to perform well, and come about when good architects and good clients join in thoughtful, cooperative effort. Programming the requirements of a proposed building is the architect’s first task, often the most important” William Pena

The complete programming of a project is a cornerstone of our process. What issues forth is a project that responds to the clients needs, the opportunities of the site and conforms to the regulatory issues inherent in every project. Each client is presented with a written program for review and approval prior to any design efforts.

At the conclusion of programming and prior to commencement of schematic design the entire consultant and construction team is assembled. This helps insure adherence to cost and constructibility and facilitates a seamless project from inception to completion.

Our educational and experiential backgrounds are rooted in historic preservation and adaptive use. We understand issues relating to context and existing structures and the special needs and requirements of existing and historic structures. The timeless principles of firmness, commodity, and delight are present in our work even though most is minimalist in style. We subscribe to other early principles that are now openly touted as new: the use of sustainable, local materials used in a creative manner. We also believe buildings should not be larger than they must be to respond to programmatic and functional requirements.

Interiors are another educational and practical background and passion that is evident in all our work. We offer a seamless project that is comprehensive and constant in philosophy throughout. We have provided all interior furnishings for projects and installed to the point of livability for special clients. Our experience and expertise across the three boundaries of existing structure, architecture, and interiors positions us to add valuable capabilities rare in a design firm, large or small.

The true value of what we do is our client’s response at the completion of a project. Third party acknowledgment of our projects is reflected in multiple design honor awards from the American Institute of Architects at the local, state and national levels, features on HGTV and publication in numerous books on architecture and periodicals.

Working with Us

Summary of Services Provided/Offered

The process of working with BAI follows a defined and phased sequence.

The firm needs to feel that they are a match for the project and client. We do not accept commissions that we feel are not suitable to our experience and talents. Our ultimate objective is a cooperative and energetic collaboration with our clients culminating in a project that satisfies or exceeds their needs and expectations and that is a source of pride for both parties. Our office views compensation in two parts: monetary (fees) and satisfactorily completed projects. We cannot afford to provide services for projects that are not destined to be completed. This office places as much "value" to the completed project as is derived from fee compensation.

Each project and each client is a unique experience requiring "a new set of eyes". The unique combination of client input, environmental input and regulatory input define the solutions to every new project. Architectural solutions are not predetermined.

Upon an initial interview with the client and a visit to the proposed site or building, the architect prepares a proposal for services to be delivered. Customarily our compensation or fees are structured on an agreed upon percentage of construction cost determined by project scope and complexity. Projects of limited scope are occasionally handled on an hourly basis. We offer only full architectural services and see all projects through construction. Our interior design services are generally provided as well.

Upon acceptance of the proposal, a Standard AIA Contract is executed outlining in detail all conditions of service and responsibilities of all parties and terms of compensation.

The initial phase of work is the Pre-Design or Programming Phase. It is during this phase that data is collected describing all facets of the project. Work sessions will be held with the client to discuss, identify and document all wants, wishes, needs, objectives and constraints. As part of this phase data will be gathered pertaining to the site and its context. Finally, regulatory issues will be identified and documented that affect design and construction of the project. The results of this pre-design work is often, depending upon the scope of the work, organized and documented in the form of a written program for the review of the client. Any adjustments are discussed and made at this time, prior to any design work. This serves to insure that both client and architect are on the same page before moving forward. Our office views the pre-design portion of the work as the single most important phase of any project.

Next, based upon a defined program, a design/construction team is identified. All consultants and general contractor are pre-selected and invited to participate along with the client in the evaluation of potential solutions. Having the expertise of consultants and contractors on board from the outset makes for efficient use of time and constant evaluation of solutions effecting cost and time. The architect does not select the general contractor but will assist the owner in contractor evaluations. We have recent experience in design/build and will consider such an arrangement depending upon specific circumstances. Successful projects inlude both commercial and residential types.

Schematic Design

The initial effort at incorporating programming into a documented design solution occurs next. Often multiple solutions will be generated in order to evaluate options. These will be conceptual and general in nature primarily indicating various approaches and establishing scope and scale and general relationships of spaces and circulation. These conceptual approaches are evaluated and a design is identified to be further developed.

The general contractor provides a preliminary estimate of probable construction costs based upon unit values.

Design Development Phase

The agreed upon design is further developed and made more specific to include possible systems and materials, more specific circulation and relationships. What emerges is a complete design. Typical deliverables may include site plan, floor plans, exterior elevations, building sections, preliminary mechanical electrical and plumbing diagrams, preliminary finish schedules and an outline specification.

The general contractor assists by providing an updated estimate of probable construction cost. The owner and architect evaluate this information. The architect, in response to the information, makes any adjustments to scope or approach. The client issues a written notice to proceed.

Construction Documents Phase

The design is further refined and documented to the level that there is sufficient information for the General Contractor to fully price all aspects of the scope of work. Subcontractors are selected, and a preliminary construction schedule is developed.

Negotiation Phase

The architect assists the owner during this phase to negotiate the final AIA Owner/Contractor Agreement for Construction. The architect is available to answer the inevitable questions that arise at this juncture. Upon approval of the Contractor Agreement, the Architect's fees will be reviewed and adjusted as necessary.

Construction Phase

The architect serves as the owner's representative to administer the contract. The contractor, through the office of the architect, will make applications for payment. Applications will be reviewed and certified and forwarded to the owner for payment. The architect and their consultants also receive and evaluate all submittals for construction assemblies and materials, requests for information, and construction schedules. Finally, the architect receives and evaluates certificates of substantial completion and assists the owner in the preparation of a "punch list" of items to be completed prior to completion of construction.

For a complete description of services and responsibilities please refer to AIA Document B151, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect 1997.

The Architect's services are intended to be consistent throughout all the phases outlined above. It is this continuity that best serves the client and the project.

Santa Teresa Ranch

PROJECT LOCATION: Hamilton County, Texas
CLIENT: Bob and Judy Mow
DOC: 2005

DESCRIPTION:
Designed in 1930 in the Mediterranean Style by the architectural firm of Carsey & Linskie, the Santa Teresa Ranch Headquarters was constructed below the top of a gentle hill in Hamilton County, Texas. The house was commissioned by the Bywaters Family of Dallas, Texas.

The program was somewhat unique in that two separate living units at the ground level were separated by a porte-cochere. One smaller unit was for Ban Bywaters and the larger unit to the north was for his parents Mr. And Mrs. David Bywaters. The original plans, still existing, indicate a second story that spanned across the top of the arched porte-cochere. Twin stairs, one in each unit, accessed the second level which consisted primarily of bedrooms, baths, servants quarters, and storage rooms. A second floor porch was accessed from the southeast facing rooms and included an exterior stairway.

The existing building was not completed as originally planned, but rather a scaled-down version of the original concept. Completed as a single story house, stair halls were replaced by storage spaces. The 24 inch thick masonry walls were completed as frame structure with stone veneer of local origin. The roof is terra cotta tile. Doors and windows are steel casement. Many of the original details were not completed or are no longer in evidence.

The ranch, including the compound, passed through varied ownership and usage. Each successive owner made their modifications to the architecture in response to changes in program, budget, and whim.

The current owners would like to adapt the original compound to a modern conference center retaining as much of the original 1930's fabric as practicable. The first efforts are to document the structure to HABS criteria through photography and measured drawings. Investigations and studies are being conducted into the architectural and historical backgrounds of the site, buildings, and people involved. Since original elevations do not exist, the clients have requested elevations indicating the original second story as it might have looked.

William Clayton Barbee, AIA

President
wcb@barbeeinc.com

William C. Barbee is the principal architect at Barbee Architects, Inc. William graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Natural Sciences/Pre-Medical in 1973 and a Master of Arts in Biomedical Science from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1975. He entered the New York School of Interior Design where he studied under Guiseppe Zambonini, Michael Kahlil and George Ranali. He received a Masters of Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin in 1981 with a specialty in Historic Preservation and adaptive use.

Mr. Barbee’s academic career includes a Visiting Assistant Professorship at Texas A & M University, Lecturer at The University of Texas at Austin and at San Antonio, and Assistant Professor in graduate studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio.

William Barbee has conducted independent studies in the documentation of historic structures including the Pueblitos of Dinetah in New Mexico and the Southern Chacoan Outliers at Chaco Canyon, NM. His studio won the coveted Charles E. Peterson Prize in 1999 from the Historic American Buildings Survey for the documentation of the Maverick-Carter Residence in San Antonio. He received the 1999 Kenneth L. Anderson Prize from the National Park Service.


EDUCATION

Master of Architecture, University of Texas at Austin, 1981
Area of Interest: Historic Restoration/ Preservation & Adaptive Re-Use
Thesis: Architectural and Historic Documentation of San Ygnacio

New York School of Interior Design, 1975-1976
Area of Interest: Historic Interiors

Master of Arts, Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 1975
Area of Interest: Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease

Bachelor of Arts with Honors, University of Texas at Austin, 1973
Area of Interest: Natural Sciences/ Pre-Medical


FUNDED RESEARCH

James W. McLaughlin Fellowship
Recipient/ Principal Investigator
Thesis: Effect of combined infection with Brugia Malayii and Sporothrix Schenckii in the Domestic Cat
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 1975


HISTORICAL/ ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH

Documentation of the Southern Chacoan Outliers
Chaco Canyon, New Mexico
Recordation of four Anasazi Puebloan sites from the tenth and eleventh centuries for the Historic American Buildings Survey. Undertaken with a grant from the National Parks Service Regional Office, Denver, Colorado and the Bureau of Land Management, Farmington, New Mexico. 1994

Documentation of the Pueblitos of Dinetah
Gobernador Region, New Mexico
Recordation of five Navajo defensive sites from the seventeenth century for the Historic American Buildings Survey. Undertaken with a grant from the National Parks Service Regional Office, Denver, Colorado and the Bureau of Land Management, Farmington, New Mexico. 1993-1994

Historical & Architectural Investigation of San Ygnacio, Texas
In depth Research and physical documentation of eighteenth and nineteenth century Spanish/Mexican settlement on the banks of the Rio Grande.
Thesis: A Historical and Architectural Investigation of San Ygnacio, Texas. University of Texas at Austin, Graduate School of Architecture, 1981

The Processo Martinez House, San Ygnacio, Texas (1873-1978)
Manuscript prepared by William C. Barbee and Jorge Pardo, documenting the historical background of the Martinez family and their homestead in San Ygnacio. Project undertaken for the University of Texas at Austin, Graduate School of Architecture, 1979


WORK CITED

Arreola, Daniel D. University of Arizona. Tempe.

Echols, Gordon. Evolution of Texas Indigenous Architecture. Texas A & M Press, 1994.

George, W. Eugene. Lost Architecture of the Rio Grande. Texas A & M Press, 2008.

Graham, Joe. Hecho en Tejas, Mexican Arts and Crafts. University of North Texas Press, 1991.


PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION

Architectural Registration # 10146, Texas


PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Architect / Interior Designer / President
Barbee Architects Inc., Austin, Texas, 1996-Present

Architect / Interior Designer / Principal
WmBarbee Architects, Austin, TX 1992-1996

Architect / Interior Designer / Project Architect
JPJ Architects, Inc., Dallas Texas, 1991-1992

Architect / Interior Designer / President
BarbeePardo Architects, Inc., Austin, Texas, 1983-1991

Intern Architect / Interior Designer / Associate
Spencer Assoc. Architects, Austin, Texas, 1981-1983


DESIGN RECOGNITION

2006 Hyde Park Homes Tour - Naranjal
Dream Builders - Pledger Cabin (TELEVISION) HGTV airtime: NOON on May 3, 2003
Austin Business Journal Commercial Real Estate Awards. 2003. Winner Retail for Wells Fargo Bank - Four Points
2002 Texas Society of Architects Design Award - Pledger Guest Cabin
2002 American Institute of Architects - Austin Chapter Honor Award - Pledger Guest Cabin
2001-2002 Sunset Magazine-American Institute of Architects Western Home Awards. Honor Award - Pledger Guest Cabin
2000 Heritage Homes Tour, Recognition for Johnson Turpin Residence in Norwood Tower AIA Austin Homes Tour, 1999. Selected for Tour: Pledger Guest Cabin
Center + Boundary: From the Domain of the Home to the City. An Exhibit of Faculty Works, 1999. UTSA
TexMex Regionalism Exhibition, UTSA Art Gallery, April 1991 - Knapp Lake House
Texas Society of Architects Design Award, 1987 - Williams Flato Artists' Studios
American Institute of Architects-Austin Honor Award, 1987 - Williams Flato Artists' Studios


PUBLICATIONS

Architecture/ Interior Architecture
“Hidden in Plain Site” Tribeza, October 2007 - Naranjal
“Shelter: You Can Live With Less But Do So In Style” Good Life, January 2006 - Pledger Guest Cabin
The Getaway Home. Taunton Press, Fall 2004 - Pledger Guest Cabin
Social Spaces. Images Publishing, November 2003 - Pledger Guest Cabin
Details in Architecture 5. Images Publishing, November 2003 - Wells Fargo Bank - Four Points
“Pledger Guest Cabin” Texas Architect, September/October 2002 (plus cover page)
"Restoration made Bastrop Victorian a site for socials" Austin American Statesman, August 2, 2003 - A. A. Erhard House
“Above and Beyond” Austin Business Journal, March 28-April 3, 2003 - Wells Fargo Bank - Four Points
“Summer Camp” Sunset, October 2001 - Pledger Guest Cabin
“Right as Rain” Natural Home, May/June 2000 - Pledger Guest Cabin
“Windows on the Water” Southern Living, May 1992 - Pledger Guest Cabin
“A Backdrop for Industry” Texas Architect, March-April 1991 - Williams Flato Artists' Studios
“Texas Houses: Context Versus Subtext” Texas Architect, March-April 1990 - Hixo, Inc.
“Steel Studios” Metal Architecture, February 1990 - Williams Flato Artists' Studios
Austin American Statesman, September 24, 1989 - Knapp Lake House
"Texas Houses: Context Versus Subtext" Texas Architect, May-June 1989, Knapp Lake House
“Architecture” Ultra, June 1988 - Williams Flato Artists' Studios
“An Artists’ Studio, Pure and Simple” Texas Architect, November-December 1987 - Williams Flato Artists' Studios
Austin American Statesman, November 21, 1987 - Williams Flato Artists' Studios
Dallas Morning News (Arts), November 16, 1987 - Williams Flato Artists' Studios
Houston Post (Design Today), November 14, 1987 - Williams Flato Artists' Studios
Austin American Statesman, July 19, 1987- Williams Flato Artists' Studios
Austin Business Journal, March 1987
Texas Homes, February 1987
“Designing a Practice” Texas Homes, September 1986 - 2202 Nueces
Austin Business Journal, September 1986 - 2202 Nueces
Austin Homes and Gardens, November 1985

Biomedical Sciences
American Journal of Pathology, Vol. 86-1, 1977
Tropical Geographical Medicine, Vol 29-1, 1977

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Texas Society of Architects
Austin Chapter, AIA

Timbercreek Apartments

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: H & H Texas Partners, LTD
DOC: 2007

DESCRIPTION:
The client is a San Diego, California based real estate investment organization. Timbercreek was purchased from the RTC and successfully operated in an as purchased condition for almost ten years.

In 2005, Barbee Architects Inc., referred by a previous client, was commissioned to assist the owner in a feasibility analysis to determine the best path of development for this 8-acre site in a "hot and trendy" South Austin neighborhood. Options explored ranged from demolition and redevelopment to rehabilition for a short, five-year period. The real estate value trends suggested the latter with sale or redevelopment for high-rise condominiums at the end of five years.

The program required bringing all 200 units plus management and maintenance structures to current code and giving the complex a new image and identity "more of the time" and more about the spectacular site surrounded by wooded Bouldin Creek.

All balconies and stairs were rebuilt. Other improvements included new roofing and electrical upgrades. All siding was replaced with clapboard cement board. All surfaces were painted with each building receiving one of three different paint palettes. A family of colors created a townscape where previously all buildings were a cool grey with charcoal grey details. This project transformation was achieved with paint and imagination. The results are dramatic.

Beaumont Blinds & Shutters

PROJECT LOCATION: Beaumont, Texas
CLIENT: Walter Joshua Crawford, III
DOC: 2007

DESCRIPTION:
The client is a young entrepreneur who was introduced to the window covering business while working as an investment banker in Houston. Wanting to return to his hometown of Beaumont he started a business of selling and installing blinds and shades in commercial and residential projects.

For the location of his showroom and office he selected a family owned office building constructed in the 1950’s by his grandfather.

The program included showroom space to display sample blinds and shades, a library for clients to review catalogues and photographs of installations, and a service counter for sales transactions. Additional requirements were a small conference area with an adjacent coffee bar, manager’s office and toilet.

Visibility was a key condition. The existing paneled glass street façade was utilized as a showroom window and its grid was used to playfully display letters spelling the business name. Additional fabric banners made using solar shade fabric were installed as banners announcing the business name along the entry side of the building.

Interior brick walls were partially stripped of paint and left exposed, concrete floors were also taken back to their original surface. All acoustical ceilings were removed exposing steel bar joists and wood decking. Lighting is primarily suspended black track and fixtures to illuminate the displays. Display fixtures are custom made on the site using a system of all thread rod and Unistrut framing.

Thompson Residence

PROJECT LOCATION: Lake Travis, Texas
CLIENT: Nancy Thompson and Charles Thompson
DOC: In Progress

DESCRIPTION:
The clients are a single professional woman and her father. They sold a Northwest Austin home and purchased two lots in Apache Shores near Lake Travis. She is retired from the film industry and currently involved in property management. He is retired.

The immediate area is populated by lower income families, but due to the current real estate market the appraisal value of those properties are on the rise. This is one of the first projects to be professionally designed and built within the subdivision.

The program indicates two separate living units, one for the daughter and a separate one for the father. Each wants to enjoy a sense of independence and privacy while encouraging daily interaction and time spent together with close family and friends. They like the idea of a compound and yet accessibility is a concern. Cost is also a determinate. The programmatic budget dictates simplicity and humble materials used in a creative manner.

The work of Australian, Pritzker Prize Winning Architect, Glenn Murcutt, RIBA served as the inspiration for this house. His early houses were designed for aboriginal families and often were palletized for transport to the bush. They tend to be long narrow repetitive structures clustered together with the negative spaces between the units becoming outdoor living spaces.

We created mirror image living units flanking either side of an entry porch, which continues on axis as a screened gallery open on both sides and terminates as a third separate unit, the Lodge. It is here and on the screened porch common to both private units that group interaction occurs. The Lodge is a simple vaulted space with kitchen, dining, and living functions. Adjoining along one side is a narrow support or machine element that houses the pantry, refrigeration units for the kitchen, storage, entry vestibule for the Lodge, a laundry closet and a powder room.

Materials and finishes include slab on grade with scored and finished surfaces, Trex decking on joists at the screened room, aluminum window and door assemblies with Low-E glass, wood framing with wood trusses, corrugated galvanized roof and walls, cementious clapboard siding, and painted gypsum board.

4315 Guadalupe

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: 4315 Guadalupe, LLC
DOC: In Progress

DESCRIPTION:
The client is a young developer with properties throughout the Hyde Park Neighborhood of Austin. He recently purchased a 24,000 square foot former medical office building designed and built in the early 1980’s.

The program for redevelopment was focused on a younger clientele of creative business types. Current tenants include: the Austin Community Foundation, Sapling Systems, Austin Digital Company, as well as an architectural firm, mortgage banker, psychologist, etc.

Phase one involved the complete renovation of the interior including public corridors, toilets and lobby. Finish materials, lighting, and way finding were the primary concerns. Phase two will address the exterior street presence, approach, site circulation, and arrival and entry sequence. We tend to design from the interior out and even in an existing structure this is the process.

Thurston Residence

PROJECT LOCATION: Westlake Hills, Texas
CLIENT: Dr. and Mrs. George Thurston
DOC: In Progress

DESCRIPTION:
The client is a retired professor in biophysics engineering and the owner of a medical instrument design and manufacturing company that supplies medical fluid viscosity and blood analysis equipment to medical facilities throughout the world. His wife is a CPA. We have worked previously with this client.

The program suggested a response to the relatively steep north facing site that is two stories with the entrance from the south at the street elevation into the public level and descending to a private sleeping and media level below. The limestone substrate provides a natural retaining wall. A long linear plan creates the opportunity for natural light and cross ventilation in all areas of the house. Functional areas are expressed by changes in massing, scale and materials. Accessibility was a key determinant.

The house is entered across a bridge to a “dog run” inspired entry hall with fireplace and dining. Adjacent to this space to the west is a “machine tower” housing the support function of the house including: stairway, elevator, powder room, laundry, mechanical space, coat closets and vertical chases.

The dominant mass of the house is located to the east of the entry and its mass is a cube composed of expressed structural steel, stucco and glass. This area includes living room kitchen/breakfast and small study alcove. Below is located the master bedroom, bath, and separate dressing areas.

The kitchen and master baths are expressed in a two-story bay window that enfronts the uphill side of the house. Its combination of clear and acid etched glass offers controlled visibility and privacy. To the east of the stair tower is a hip roofed pavilion that functions as a library above and guest bedroom below.

A fifth massing element at the far east side of the property is a separate two-story section housing the carport accessed by a bridge off the street elevation with storage and a workshop below.

Materials used include steel, native stone, stucco, cement board, standing seam metal roofing, aluminum storefront system, and perforated metal panels.

Contact Information:

Barbee Architects, Inc.
1801 Lavaca Street
Austin, Texas 78701
512.970.3934
www.barbeeinc.com

Wau Ban See Ranch

PROJECT LOCATION: McCullough County. Texas
CLIENT: Jacqueline and R. Kinnan Goleman
DOC: N/A

DESCRIPTION:
The site is a ranch in McCullough County, Texas. Original stone barracks and stores, spring house and dog run barn date from the middle of the nineteenth century and were erected by Texas Rangers. Subsequent stone and frame structures were built by owners over the next one hundred years.

Full architectural services were provided for the documentaion to HABS standards of this historic ranch compound dating from 1864. A written predesign report was included as part of the services rendered. Project scope involved the adaptive use of seven stone structures to serve as residential components to an events/conference center. New structures included a large screened events building with adjacent gardens and a new commercial kitchen and lodge.

Documentation explored new digital photographic and CADD technology in the field in conjuction with traditional documentation techniques for archival documentation. The field work involved five faculty and two students from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and was achieved over the course of a spring vacation. The work included field measurement and drawing, photography using large format and digital techniques, and theodolites for recording of topographic information.

Norwood Tower Penthouse

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: Luci Baines Johnson and Ian Turpin
DOC: June 2001

DESCRIPTION:
In 1997, the LBJ Holding Company purchased the Norwood Tower and established their corporate offices there. In 1998, the Johnson-Turpins decided to convert the top two floors to a condominium for their primary residence, furthering their commitment to downtown revitalization. The program called for a residence with guest facilities for family and friends. Also, the owner's entertain on a regular basis as part of business and philanthropic interests, requiring ample space for dining and other social events. The public functions as well as living spaces are accommodated on the 4,500 square foot fourteenth floor. The fifteenth floor plan offered 1500 square feet of conditioned space. The program for private functions required the addition of 1,000 square feet in order to accommodate guest facilities. The roof terraces at this level contain a private garden, small meditation space in the former clock tower, and a lap pool.

The architectural concept was to open the public floor to allow vistas through the entire floor from terrace to terrace. The Lady Bird Johnson National Wildflower Center acted as consultant for the development of the terraces, showcasing regional landscapes of Texas. The owners' collection of antiques, art and memorabilia, and the strength of the architecture, required that the interior architectural solution provide a suitable backdrop.

2000 HERITAGE HOMES TOUR

Naranjal

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: Eugene George and William Barbee
DOC: In Progress

DESCRIPTION:
Naranjal means “the place of oranges”. It derived its name from a romantic tale of an ancient hacienda built in an orange grove in Central America. This tale is written by J. Frank Dobie in his book Apache Gold and Yaqui Silver. The property consists of three lots in the historic Hyde Park Neighborhood. It is sited on a rise above Shipe Park to the north and the Elizabet Ney Museum to the northeast. Purchased in 1978 by Eugene George, FAIA and wife Mary Carolyn George, an architectural historian, construction was begun in 1980. George first did a complete archeological study of the site and recovered numerous relics of prior habitation.

George designed the house to conform to the solar and predominant breeze conditions. A large grove of pecan trees to the east of the site also were design determinants. George’s background in historic preservation and interest in Spanish colonial architecture along the Rio Grande are his inspiration for the house. The load bearing masonry construction of the adjacent Ney Museum was a reference for the form of the residence as well. The guiding principal was the harmonic proportional system expressed on a 10-foot cube.

The construction of the house was begun by George and his architectural engineering students. Part of the impetus for the house was as a teaching tool to offer students a hands-on laboratory for construction techniques and technology. His graduates are working in architecture and allied fields all over the world.

A former student, William Barbee, purchased the project at a partially completed stage. Major walls were erected using insulated concrete block with cast in place concrete lintels. The roof over the main building was partially complete. Ceiling vigas were in place. The carport consisted of walls and openings only. A separate frame shed along the east property line was substantially complete, requiring only new cedar shingle roofing and doors.

The original purpose of the collaboration between George and Barbee was to bring the project to completion for occupation for Mr. & Mrs. George. The Georges elected to remain in the adjacent fully completed cottage located to the south, conveying the property to Barbee in 2006 with the commitment that both architects would work in concert to complete the project as close to George’s original vision as practicable. The design problem for Barbee was how to develop the project from one bedroom and one bath to three bedrooms and two full baths to accommodate his family of three without loosing the scale and spatial concept. The solution involved the conversion of the carport to a Casita for his young twin children. Space originally dedicated to a darkroom became a full bath. One storage bay became the children’s living room while the other bay was divided into two sleeping rooms. A storage closet was converted and another added and space was provided for HVAC and closets. The drive was removed, as were the terra cotta citarillas from the carport walls, which were salvaged for reuse in the new courtyard wall extension. Glass window units were installed in the openings to match those on the main house and the hipped roofs were extended to protect the new glass openings.

The entry element is a pyramidal roofed structure separate from the other elements of the compound. Its roof slope conforms to that of the Pyramid of Cheops. The entry gate at the pyramid provides access to the compound.

Finish materials include historic lime plaster/stucco inside and out, cedar log latia ceilings resting on oak beams, integral stained concrete roof structures at the kitchen, master bath, and Casita bath and entry. All doors, windows, and cabinets are custom made using vertical grain Douglas fir, and the thresholds are made of Ipe. All glazing is Low-E. The main house roof is standing seam copper, and all other roofs are fire retardant cedar shingles. Floors, sills, counters, mantel and hearth, bath surrounds and all baseboards are Brazilian Slate. Slabs of Brazilian Green Granite flank the fireplace opening. Copper details are present in roof caps, finials, linings to canales, and the flashing cap at the gate.

TRIBEZA October 2007
HYDE PARK HOMES TOUR 2006
AUSTIN CHRONICLE, Best of Award, 1992

HQ Galleria

PROJECT LOCATION: Houston, Texas
CLIENT: Ms. Celia Bell, COO
DOC: February 1999

Adhering to the pristine minimalist vocabulary of the architecture, BarbeePratte Associates, Inc. transformed the 16th floor of this glass-clad high-rise into a sophisticated statement of contemporary interiors.

The 10'-0" X 70'-0" corridor was transformed from its runway appearance by using proportions, patterns, textures, and light to create illusions of space and define reception and seating areas. Complimenting the building's main lobby, a selection of handsome, neutral colors and materials are used throughout the narrow space to create layers of texture and a feeling of openness.

HQ Tanglewood

PROJECT LOCATION: Adam Porter Building in Houston, Texas
CLIENT: Ms. Celia Bell, COO
DOC: May 1998

DESCRIPTION:
HQ Business Centers acquired the 3rd floor of the Adam Porter Building and hired BarbeePratte Associates, Inc. to efficiently space plan the floor and design an inviting lobby, reception area and conference room with the appropriate personality for its surroundings.

Originally, the space had very little daylight, making it feel small and disorienting. The goal for this project was to give the tenants an awareness of their surroundings. This was achieved by opening the elevator lobby to the exterior, bringing in natural light, views, and a sense of arrival. Planes were articulated overhead to guide the eye toward light and views. The floor plane also enforces this directionality in alternating bold patterns of light and dark stone.

HQ Littlefield

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: HQ Business Centers of Austin
DOC: 1997

DESCRIPTION:
For their third HQ Business Center of Austin, the client leased the top two floors of the historic Littlefield Building. This 20,000 square foot executive suite's location was marked by the massive brick corbelled columns which resulted from the enclosing of the original roof garden, now the ninth floor. The original light wells were decked at each level with the top floor having a skylight.

The design solution acknowledged and respected the historic architecture and created volumes that responded to the programming needs of conference rooms, reception area and support/management functions clustered at the center of the facility on both floors. Simple details of raised painted wall sections and tumbled antique mosaic marble floors gave the spaces the depth and texture to compliment the existing architecture. A suspended ceiling of sandblasted translucent fiberglass moderated the existing skylight and provided concealment of necessary mechanical to climatize the newly enclosed space. The transitional furnishings and historic photographs found in archives give the tenants a sense of place.

Hixo, Inc.

PROJECT LOCATION: Gabriel’s Court in Austin, Texas
CLIENT: Hixo, Inc.
DOC: 1990

DESCRIPTION:
The clients sought a functional space that supported and encouraged their method of operation and that projected a unique corporate image. The firm has developed a highly efficient operation in which a staff of six full time persons generates an amount of work equivalent to firms several times its size. Thus operational efficiency and logistics were critical. Accessibility generated a U-shaped administration area of small functional cubicles clustered around a common reference library/conference room. This common area is used for intra-office meetings as well as appointments with consultants and reps. The larger conference/media room shares the central free-standing box with the smaller conference/reference library, and houses audiovisual equipment and provides for display of artwork and graphics. It is the point of contact with clients.

The choice of materials and finishes were suggested by the client’s desire for a minimal environment/backdrop for the creative functions to be conducted, as well as, by program requirements for cost and functional efficiency.

TEXAS ARCHITECT, March-April, 1990.

BarbeePratte Associates

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: BarbeePratte Associates
DOC: 1997

DESCRIPTION:
For their own offices, BarbeePratte Associates sought to use their offices as a laboratory for spatial effects - maximizing a sense of space by simple geometry and layering of planes to create vistas.

The design was achieved by exposing existing building materials and the exposure of mechanical systems. New materials followed an industrial palette of medium density fiber board, galvanized metal framing, and maple veneer plywood panels constructed with exposed connections.

Gracy Title Company

PROJECT LOCATION: Lakeway, Texas
CLIENT: Gracy Title Company
DOC: In Progress

DESCRIPTION:
Gracy Title Company is relocating their Lakeway office to a new building, designed by BAI, that is being constructed adjacent to their current office. The program calls for approximately 2,500 square feet to accommodate a permanent staff of eight. In addition to a common reception and waiting area the public zone includes two large conference rooms separated by a retracting paneled wall that allows conversion to a single large training room. Adjacent to the conference rooms is a service bar for coffee and pastries, a full kitchen with dining counter, and toilets.

A large sliding barn door separates the public from private space. Office functions are oriented about a large open office gallery with views and natural light. One end of the gallery is designated for workroom and copying functions. The private offices are accessed from the open office gallery and are oriented along the north exterior wall taking advantage of the better views and the quality of north light. Privacy walls to offices include clerestory glass to allow north light to penetrate through these offices to the inner gallery space. Deep storage bins for files and office supplies with each compartment accessed by a top hinged door create a paneled wall element.

All spaces receive direct light or borrowed natural light from an adjacent space. Finish materials include slate flooring in all public areas, carpet tile in all private spaces, granite counters, gypsum board ceilings and mesquite accent walls.

Keller Williams Realty

PROJECT LOCATION: Lakeway, Texas
CLIENT: Keller Williams Realty
DOC: In Progress

DESCRIPTION:
The client is Keller Williams Realty, one of the largest real estate companies in the nation. Their Lakeway office is relocating to a new building, designed by BAI, where they will occupy approximately 15,000 square feet with an option to expand as required.

The program calls for 40 offices and numerous workstations to accommodate some 400 agents. Most only require limited desk access for electronic mail and telephone activities. A central reception and telephone hub also receives and distributes mail and messages.

The interface with clients occurs in one of four large conference rooms located at the center of the office and immediately adjacent to the reception and waiting room. Support for the conference and office functions are provided by a kitchen and toilet facilities accessed off an adjacent corridor. A large training room that will accommodate 80 adjoins the kitchen and Internet café.

Finish materials include slate flooring, interface carpet tiles, leather tiles at reception desk, mesquite paneled wall element and granite counter surfaces.

Westwood Country Club Renovations

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: Westwood Country Club
DOC: 2001

DESCRIPTION:
The project included full architectural and interior design services for renovation and additions to the existing lower level of the Westwood Country Club of approximately 7,384 gross square feet in area. The scope of work includes extensive modifications to health club facilities, kitchen, and associated lakeside dining modifications to the exterior of the existing dining room, and new second floor terrace off the existing main dining room. Also included is a new free standing bathouse adjacent to the existing swimming pool. It presents as a garden wall with arbor roof elements as opposed to a conventional building. Later phases anticipate the reconstruction of walls and landscape.

The club, founded in 1955, has a strong architectural history. The new facilities had to insert into the existing context of the club in a manner that was appropriate and also honest to the time of construction, that would wear well with time and become "timeless".

JR Salon

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: JR Salon, LP
DOC: 2006

DESCRIPTION:
The clients are previous clients from work on their primary spa location and their house located in Barton Springs neighborhood.

The site is a new strip retail development located in the Rosedale Neighborhood of Austin. The program called for a 2,500 square foot finish out for a younger clientele. The programmed spaces included: small administrative office and register area adjacent to retail for Aveda Products and lifestyle products, hair cutting, shampoo, two separate waiting areas, hair coloring laboratory and stations, private treatment room, changing rooms and dispensary.

The parti developed in response to the fact that both the front of the building and the rear were equally important points of entry. Therefore all of the private functions floated as an interior island surrounded by more public circulation, retail and waiting. The private realm was defined by yin and yang elements of a thick massive stucco wall to the west with punched openings for light and display and an antithetic fabric wall transmitting light from the east windows of the cutting station area to the private coloring stations requiring generous natural light.

The stations are defined by the long swoop of the sail in front of which are custom designed sentinels that provide mirrors, storage, electrical power hookups etc. At night these units are rotated 10 degrees to reveal alternating orange and green glowing sculptural elements. The wall and units create a billboard for the salon that expresses the store’s function and attitude.

Floors are exposed concrete and ceilings stop short of walls allowing opportunities for lighting and delivery of HVAC.

JR is junior in concept and name but no less a product of the Jackson Ruiz team.

Traylor Ranch Guest House

PROJECT LOCATION: Beeville, Texas
CLIENT: Champ and Mimi Traylor
DOC: February 2002

DESCRIPTION:
All structures in the "headquarters" compound were oriented and organized about an axis established by a central plaza with water trough feature. An existing barn was demolished to facilitate a compact and efficient site plan for the new structures. The existing barrel vaulted barn has a steel pipe structural system clad with galvanized corrugated panels. The existing sheds incorporated a steel pipe wide flange structural system as well. In the same fashion, all new structures express their steel skeleton to the interior.

The ranch is located on the edge of the coastal plain and building stone is non-existent. Caliche pits, evidenced from the aerial photos, provided an opportunity to utilize the material in the form of caliche blocks for much of the walls. Stucco finished CMU was used also as a counterpoint to the texture and color of the block.

The most significant architectural examples are located approximately 45 miles to the east at Mission Espirito Santo and La Bahia. The simple forms and thick walls combine with steel industrial aesthetic to give form to these simple structures. The guest house sleeps twelve persons in a linear plan. A "machine element" to the north houses all mechanical services.

Knapp Lake House

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: Dr. and Mrs. Robert Knapp
DOC: December 1991

DESCRIPTION:
The 4,500 square foot second home exhibits the use of indigenous Texas materials and hand crafted details such as the tiles, hand forged iron work, and custom made doors, windows, and shutters. The one room deep plan bends to conform to the bluff and allows for generous cross ventilation. The wide array of spatial choices range from large light filled public areas to an intimate study, from screened porches to sunning terraces, and from private courtyards to the water’s edge.

TEXAS ARCHITECT, May-June 1989
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN, September 24, 1989
TEX/MEX REGIONALISM EXHIBITION, UTSA Art Gallery, 1991
SOUTHERN LIVING, May 1992

Williams-Flato Artists' Studios

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: Casey Williams and Malou Flato
DOC: 1987

Sited on a bluff overlooking the Colorado River, the project is located in an industrial area of the city. Very tight land space required parking within the building itself, resulting in a garage/overflow work and storage area. The rest of the building was divided into separate large open studios and suport areas for two artists.

Light was an important aspect of the design and the double height volume is illuminated in part by the rear window wall which also opens to dramatic views of the river and trees below. A raised light monitor that runs along the ridge line augments illumination and provides natural convective cooling and ventilation. The stepped roof form and overall metal building configuration place the building squarely within the industrial vernacular and comfortably into its setting.

HONOR AWARD, AIA Austin Chapter, 1987
HONOR AWARD, Texas Society of Architects, 1987

TEXAS ARCHITECT, November-December, 1987
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN, November 21, 1987
DALLAS MORNING NEWS (Arts), November 16, 1987
HOUSTON POST (Design Today), November 14, 1987
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN, July 19, 1987
ULTRA, June 1988
METAL ARCHITECTURE, February, 1990

Wells Fargo Bank- Port Lavaca

PROJECT LOCATION: Port Lavaca, Texas
CLIENT: Wells Fargo Bank Texas, N.A.
DOC: January 2004

Description:
The program called for a full service branch bank, of approximately 3,000 gsf of conditioned space, to be located on a one-acre site in Port Lavaca, Texas. The functional building design had to meet the newly implemented hurricane resistive construction for structure, roof assemblies, and window and door assemblies. In addition the highly corrosive salt air, strong sun and high heat present on the Texas Coast created a formidable design issue. Formal considerations required an image that was appropriate to the context of the Gulf Coast and needed to be true also to its building type as a retail bank. The image also needed to serve as an eye-catching form. The budget was limited requiring a very straightforward solution, limited palette of materials, and construction systems available in the area. Timing was also an issue because the bank had a current lease that was to expire eight months from the signing of the owner architect agreement.

The bank, organized using a 20-foot grid, presents as a 60 foot by 60-foot square plan with a motor bank facility that extends to the north. In elevation the building also adheres to the 10 foot cube planning module. The use of the module was as much about economy through repetition and simplicity as image.

The front entry is accessed by way of a ten-foot deep verandah facing south. This provides a transition from the harsh sun or the frequent squalls and offers a place to gather. The central banking hall is the focus of the building and is surmounted by a 20 foot square light monitor. This ceremonial space offers indirect light to all adjacent spaces. Back of house banking functions including lobby and motor bank tellers, break rooms, safe deposit vault, workrooms and supervisors offices occur in the zone to the north. To the west are support functions: data and electrical room, janitor, storage and toilets. To the east are located the private bankers and a copier room. To the south, along the front verandah are the conference room and managers office.

The imagery draws upon local vernacular industrial buildings. The central light monitor, a source of natural light during the day, becomes a “light house-like” beacon at night.

Structural steel framing is exposed and finished using industrial coatings. The steel structure provides an armature for steel decking, standing seam galvalume roof and cypress siding. Tidewater cypress siding panels juxtapose steel and are left to oxidize with the coastal climate.

The cypress material is repeated on the interior surfaces of the light well. Colors and other materials are drawn from the neutral palette present in the area: sand, weathered woods, and the grey greens of local plant materials and coastal waters.

Wells Fargo Bank- Four Points

PROJECT LOCATION: Austin, Texas
CLIENT: Wells Fargo Bank Texas, N.A.
DOC: January 2003

DESCRIPTION:
The building is a new branch banking facility with motor bank serving a developing community west of Austin, Texas. The objective was to create a strong sense of place appropriate to the location in the Texas Hill Country, but that also reflected the attitudes that are uniquely Austin. The client wanted native stone and metal roof but with a “twist” that represented the sophisticated but relaxed style of Austin.

The bank’s programmatic requirements for a “full service” financial center included: lobby tellers, motor bank, ATM, personal bankers, safe deposit boxes, cyber banking on premises, offices for the Branch Manager and Service Manager, support functions including conference room, waiting area, break room, toilets, workrooms, and data and electrical rooms.

The company had its origin as a stagecoach company. It is now the largest on-line banking operation in the nation. It wanted the building solution to be contemporary but rooted in the history of the region. The long steel structure with standing seam roof is evocative of barns and industrial structures in the area. Large stone from a local quarry was selected and laid up in a traditional German smear manner. However, these elements are articulated in a modern idiom with glass curtain walls, steel solar elements, exposed spiral ductwork, state of the art lighting, maple veneer MDF with expressed connections.

The massing and spatial qualities of the building reflect the functional usage of the program areas. For example, the massive masonry–clad volumes enclose the secure “back of house” functions and vaults. By contrast, the Banking Hall and retail areas are open, light-filled and rendered in steel and glass. The exposed structural steel frame serves as an expression of the 5-foot by 5 foot organizing grid. It is the armature that binds the building’s spatial organization. Large glass curtain walls open onto small gardens allowing enjoyment of the landscape from within.

Energy saving elements include: solar shading devices on exterior of building, deep overhangs, low e-glazing. A unique structural decking system was utilized that provides thermal insulation, acoustic insulation, structural decking, and serves as the finished ceiling. Also energy efficient lighting devices and high efficiency mechanical equipment were installed. All exterior veneer is local stone that minimizes hauling and shipping and stimulates the local economy.

The building budget was maintained by use of a limited palette of readily available materials of local origin and by use of a structural design grid that was adhered to, resulting in simplification and repetition of details. Materials and systems selected were used in an honest manner and left exposed, not covered over.

2003 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AWARD, Austin Business Journal

DETAILS IN ARCHITECTURE 5, November 2003
AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL, March 28-April 3, 2003
AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL, July 11-17, 2003

Pledger Cabin

PROJECT LOCATION: Westlake Hills, Texas
CLIENT: Jim and Coralie Pledger
DOC: 1999

Description:
Having commissioned the renovation of their residence, the clients then hired BarbeePratte Associates to design a guest cabin for this four acre site in Westlake HIlls. The adjacent undeveloped site offered a unique opportunity to create a separate guest house/ garden structure that would be casual and inviting. The program called for two guest bedrooms, a galley kitchen, and a screened open-air living/ dining space.

It is situated adjacent to a garden with a water collection cistern and is made of sustainable material.

The palette of materials includes corrugated metal siding, galvalume standing seam roof, concrete piers, wolmanized lumber, and Trex decking- a recycled product.

2002 DESIGN AWARD, Texas Society of Architects
2002 HONOR AWARD, AIA Austin
2001-2002 HONOR AWARD, AIA/Sunset Magazine
1999 AIA AUSTIN HOMES TOUR

THE GOOD LIFE, January 2006
THE GETAWAY HOME (Taunton Press), Fall 2004
SOCIAL SPACES (Images Publishing), November 2003
HGTV Dream Builders, May 2003
DALLAS MORNING NEWS, October 28, 2002
TEXAS ARCHITECT, September 2002 Issue
SUNSET MAGAZINE, October 2001 Issue
NATURAL HOME, May/June 2000 Issue
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN, September 16, 1999