Peninsula Residence | Bercy Chen Studio

The project begins with a 1980’s home-builder house fronting on lake austin. The original design did not harness views to the lake and Mount Bonnell, nor did it respect the ecological sen- sitivity of its site. The challenge was to develop a sensitive and inventive result out of a pre-existing condition. Through the use of glass, steel, detailing and light the home has been adap- tively reinvented. Reflection, translucency, color and geometry conspire to bring natural light deep into the house. A new so- larium, pool, and vegetative roof are tuned to interact with the natural context. Exterior materials and refined detailing of the roof structure give the volume clean lines and a bold presence, while abstracting the form of the original dormers and gable roof. Further connecting the home to its site, the roof begins to dissolve where a glass clad chimney and slatted wood screen stand in relief against the sky.