Banks
Banks Street House, built for a couple whose children had left home, explored the dual nature of having the freedom of an empty nest and wanting the privacy and communality of a welcoming home base. The project, which explores life in two parts, also addresses how to expand the spatial experience of the typical suburban building lot.
The Banks Street House’s two-volume organization maximizes the spatial experience of a 3,000-square-foot residence and defines distinct living areas, indoors and out, with separate views. The volumes, which run perpendicular to one another, are connected by a narrow, L-shaped circulation element, so that parents and kids can inhabit the house both as a unit and as individuals.
An open living room/dining/kitchen area fosters shared family experiences, and the Texas sun is harnessed – and tempered – through skylights. North-facing, full-height windows extend the interior living spaces to the exterior, while low and high horizontal windows give glimpses of the spaces merely hinted at beyond.
- www.fdmarch.com
Francois de Menil
FdM:Arch
Kurt Lobpries
Paul Warchol
AIA Houston Architectural Guide, Third Edition