Belmont Park

Belmont Park sits on the bank of Shoal Creek, one of two main waterways that run through Austin towards the Colorado River. Two weathered Douglas fir clad volumes rise above the creek from a flush limestone plinth, linked by a transparent living room bridge that spans a cavern carved into the stone.

Arrival is offered two ways from the motor court. One route crosses an elevated walkway to the front door; the other descends by stair into the stone cavern, reaching a covered porch and a private entry below. Water gathered from a natural uphill spring, mechanical condensate lines and roof runoff is channelled through a runnel that follows the descending stair, so the man-made canyon and waterway echo the natural flow of the creek beneath.

Inside, the Douglas fir continues, here given a lye finish that sets it apart from the weathered exterior, and is set against blackened steel, hand-made ceramic tiles and spare inserts of marble and brass. The interior volumes are scaled for intimate family gatherings and turned towards the tree canopy that shades the site. The crisp, rudimentary geometry, stripped of ornament and built from weathered natural materials with a finer interior finish, reflects a meeting of the owners' tastes: an affection for a rustic, ranch-like character alongside a more polished, refined language.

Completed in 2019.

Architecture and interior design: Cuppett Kilpatrick Architecture + Interior Design. Photography: Whit Preston.