A Fort Worth architect, Mark Gunderson has had much influence on Dallas, both from his work as a juror on award committees to his presidency of the Dallas Architectural Foundation. Mark Gunderson is a modernist who designs perfectly executed buildings and an architectural historian who illuminates the work around us. Currently, he is designing several homes in the region and working as co-author to Buildings of Texas, a new 700 page volume in the series Buildings of the United States published by Oxford Press

The project remodels and expands an existing photography studio in a 1910's brick commercial building located in an arts district / revitalization area in Dallas. The one-story spaces have concrete floors, original pressed metal ceilings and painted wood storefront. The building consists of five linear bays with simple-span wood framing transverse across masonry bearing walls, of which the studio project is an expansion from two bays to four.

The architectural parti involves the insertion of a spare white volume - consisting of offices, conference room and kitchen - into one of the previously empty raw brick bay spaces. The existing apertures in the brick bay determine all new openings into this simple, white 'shoebox'. Circulation is the residual space between the new box and existing walls. A new air-conditioning unit is located on the roof and metal ductwork runs linearly along the interior 'roof' of the white box.

The contrast between the new white box within the existing brick volume gives the owner curatorial options regarding display of his work and allows an intellectual clarity and rigor in the distinction between new and old. Light quality, both natural and artificial, is carefully considered and controlled.

The computer, archive and digital processing area inthe existing workspace is relocated into the new bay. The length of the new box is such that a reception space is created towards the street and a new layout area is created at the rear, towards a future courtyard entry from the private parking area.

The original concrete floors received a new high-strength concrete coating and clear sealer.

The site is a wooded bluff which slopes thirty-five feet to the lake below and included an existing boat dock. After considerable discussion regarding the clients interest in boats, boatbuilding and wood construction techniques ( Shinto and Shaker joinery ) a concept was derived which placed two wood-sheathed volumes at 90 degrees to one another upon sandstone plinths which continued existing curved retaining walls into the house form.

The geometry and inherent construction grid ( 4'x4'x4' ) utilized were established relative to a large circle whose work point became the spring source for an entry fountain. This fountain, 1' wide, 1' deep and 40' long, is intended as a "slice" of the lake's edge "lifted" uphill to serve as a preface to the house/site and as a kind of apology for blocking the view of the lake from the entrance to the site.

The materials employed are vertical mahogany siding, cedar decks and trellis, sandstone, reinforced concrete and stainless steel. Cabinet work is flush-overlay, rift-cut maple with granite tops and concealed hinges. The floors and frame and panel doors are of red oak.

Circulation is a loop formed with one exterior stair and one interior stair which accomodates the twelve foot level change between the two floors.

The upper level contains garage, graphics studio, master suite and a covered deck. Clerestory windows provide northlight to these spaces.

The lower level consists of one large volume ( 16' x 60' x 18' tall ) as Living, Dining and Entry and is served by the Kitchen to the west. The south and east walls of this room are entirely glazed to provide a panoramic engagement with the site and its fine lake views. A north wing at this level includes the Library, Guest bedroom and bath; all with their own views to the lake and exterior trellised walk.

A cedar deck lies alongside the east fa?ade as a kind of "shadow" of this lower volume and becomes an exterior "living room".

This tripartite limestone construction is situated at the edge of a fifty-foot rock bluff overlooking the floodplain of the West Fork of the Trinity River. Its basic formal disposition and section derives from the distant view to the west and the adjacent wooded areas to the east as well as an architectural idea regarding the "refinement" of the bluff as it is engaged and then reconfigured and redefined by the house.

The central volume is two-story with living / public areas at the ground level and children's bedrooms and upper living area above. Flanking this are two single-story volumes; with the Master suite to the south and the Guest bedroom, utility and garage areas to the north. Each side wing is displaced toward the bluff to create a central arcaded space as porch. A pool is located between the garage and the bluff and sits on a limestone plinth surfaced with flagstone.

The house is "snake" limestone ( the Mexican masons name for the stone which contains fossils reminiscent of rattlers ) on wood framing. The roof is standing seam, galvanized steel at the gabled center section and modified bitumen at the lower wings. A pair of stone chimneys anchor the center volume - one is the living room fireplace and the other is an outdoor grill opening beneath the arcade roof. A third chimney, at the south end of the house serves a fireplace in the owners private study.

Windows are clad wood sections with insulated clear glazing and have galvanized steel awnings suspended over them for protection from the harsh Texas sun. The majority of windows include operable lower sections and an upper fixed lite for view. A few smaller square windows provide daylight and a sky view in unexpected spaces such as closets. "Gunstock"-type, frame and panel mahogany doors with stainless steel thresholds are utilized at the front door and the arcade doors. Interior doors are painted wood with painted wood frames.

Millwork is of two types - frame and panel select maple with Russian granite tops and flush, painted construction in secondary areas. The floors at the lower level are sealed concrete with the 2' by 2' building grid scored in them and the upper level is carpet.

A small stone cube houses water-related equipment at the high point of the site and forms a focal object for the swimming pool. A water well on axis with this structure provides water for the house, pool and landscape irrigation.

The house is located in remote southwest Texas, on a limestone bluff 240 feet above a bend in the Pecos River. The Rio Grande River and Mexico are less than two miles to the south and the area, known as Schumla Bend, is rich with ancient pictographs and Indian artifacts.

A simple stone volume constructed of 6 inch limestone veneer on 2x6 wood stud walls; the house has a standing seam steel roof and cedar porch alluding to the traditions of 19th century structures in this part of Texas. Interior walls are tongue and groove cedar boarding, as are the floor and ceiling in the main living space. This room functions as the kitchen, dining, living and sleeping area for the house. Natural light is from operable, clad wood windows of small aperture and east windows covered by the porch roof.

A second room, with saltillo tile floors and cedar walls and ceiling, is open for its thirteen foot width to the river canyon to the north. This room contains lavatories, a hot tub and a steam shower of porcelain ceramic tiles and tempered glass. The hot tub enjoys the river view and two doors open to an exterior cedar deck which extends over the edge of the bluff.

A limestone fireplace opens into each of these two rooms and provides an internal focus as counterpoint to the fine views in all directions.

A porch along the east facade of the house serves as the entry ( and exterior "living room" ) and is permeated with the sound of the river below.

The primary considerations in the project were the use of indigenous materials assembled to last for decades, if not centuries, and minimal disruption to the site as a whole.

A separate steel frame structure with galvanized steel siding and roof provides storage, work area and protection of water treatment equipment. A freestanding cypress water tank stores 3,000 gallons of well water on an adjacent hill.