Bleyzer House    |    Houston, Texas

The Bleyzer Residence overlooks a wooded nature preserve on the banks of Buffalo Bayou. The design was informed by careful consideration of the unique topography and views offered by the dramatic natural setting as well as energy conservation principles appropriate to the local climate. A bridge over a ravine leads to the entrance at the intersection of two wings which organize the space into public and private zones delineated by material and scale. Each volume is a study in opacity and transparency- composed of concrete, zinc, and large walls of glass which open to a panoramic vista of trees, sky and the oxbow lake beyond. Axial shifts of the cantilevered volumes create a series of lush roof gardens and floating terraces that extend the interior spaces into the landscape while providing both shading and expansive views of the surrounding woods from every room. The interweaving of nature and structure across these multiple horizons reveals a meditative experience of light, shadow and form.

Innovations include geothermal heating and cooling, passive solar shading, a computer-controlled louver system that adjusts according to the position of the sun, an advanced home automation network, and green roof planting and landscaping inspired by the surrounding native ecosystem.

• green roof
• geo-thermal heating and air conditioning
• TOUR: AIA HOME TOUR, 2012
• Featured in the Houston Chronicle, ”House of the American Dream" by Lisa Gray