A Whimsical Guest House Leans Out to Maximize Space

Wrapped in cedar shakes, a small cottage uses angled walls to sidestep code restraints and gain greater living space.

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Despite its seemingly random appearance and slanted walls, the decisions behind the playful shape of this compact East Austin cottage are rooted in practical problem solving—just ask Nicole Blair, architect and founder of the local practice Studio 512.

The one-bedroom abode features a wood-and-steel frame clad in oversized cedar shakes repurposed from the roof of another home.

"The Hive's 320-square-foot footprint is the maximum allowed for a guest house by the city of Austin on this residential lot," Nicole explains. "To gain enough volume to fit a one-bedroom dwelling, walls tilt from the slab—hugging building setback planes and an angled utility easement at the back of the property—to add volume where needed, evoking the shape of a beehive."

Built for television and documentary film producer Kerthy Fix, The Hive is located behind the client’s main residence in East Austin.

The Hive was completed in May 2015 for a total construction cost of $160,000.

As a result, the two-story structure—dubbed The Hive after its shape and an existing beehive on site—manages to nearly double the footprint allowance and offers 565 square feet of airy living space.

Traditional three-coat stucco was used for the interior walls. Furnishings are from Scott and Cooner and Urbanspace Interiors.

The sculptural abode comprises an eat-in kitchen and living room on the main floor, as well as a bedroom and office on the second floor. The heights and widths of each room are carefully sized depending on use—a decision that Nicole based off of Leonaro da Vinci’s The Vitruvian Man, a 15th-century drawing symbolizing ideal scale and proportion in architecture and anatomy.

The compact kitchen features plenty of counter space. The cabinet fronts are made from reclaimed longleaf pine sheathing from a local bungalow.

She cites examples of her strategy: "Kitchen walls lean out for increased counter space, [and] a large built-in desk with cantilevered bookshelf is nestled into a spot with low ceiling height and expanded view while seated at the desk. The shower is widest toward the center of the body up to the head, and a tall, narrow ceiling provides room for rising steam."

The cozy bedroom overlooks views of the tree canopy.

"By carefully tailoring the space in three dimensions, rooms are cut down and expanded to suit the programme."

As with many of the materials used in the home, the windows were salvaged finds.

Charred wood treated with the Shou Sugi Ban technique was used for the stairs and in the upstairs' workspace and flooring. The floors downstairs are polished concrete.

Nicole also looked to Dutch and Japanese design for inspiration in dealing with spatial constraints, while using large windows and an abundance of natural light to give the interiors a roomy feel.