For 35 years, the AIA Austin Homes Tour has offered a peek inside some of the city’s best-designed dwellings. The tour went virtual last year due to the pandemic, which expanded the celebration of Austin’s architectural achievements to a global audience—and this year, the organization is presenting a hybrid experience.

On Saturday, October 16, three of the nine homes will be open for in-person visits. Meanwhile, remote ticket holders can view exclusive photographs for each house, take a self-guided 3D walkthrough, and attend discussion sessions with each of the nine architects, which start on Friday, October 15. Take a sneak peek at the nine homes on this year’s tour below!

Clearview Residence by Webber + Studio, Architects

For a client seeking accessibility and privacy, Webber + Studio, Architects delivered a remodel and addition to a home in the Tarrytown neighborhood. Now, the main floor has widened doorways and no thresholds for improved flow, a floor-to-ceiling glass wall spans the back facade, and there’s even a secret garden. The aluminum-clad exterior hits at the changes within.

Rollingwood Residence by Lake Flato Architects

An outdoor amphitheater of rock ledges ensconces this new home in Rollingwood, making it feel more remote than it actually is. Designed by Lake Flato Architects, the home is composed primarily of steel, glass, cedar, and local limestone. A main bedroom and a screened porch hover above grade, conjuring up contemporary treehouse vibes.

Oak Creek Court by Furman + Keil Architects

Furman + Keil Architects renovated this home in West Austin to extend views to a nearby creek and open up the main living spaces—including a new eat-in kitchen and sitting room—to a central courtyard dotted with mature oaks. Timeless materials and energy performance improvements ensure longevity.

Lean on Me House by North Arrow Studio

An extremely steep slope in the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve led the architects from the North Arrow Studio to cling as closely as they could to the incline while designing the Lean on Me House. Its stacked volumes “lean” on each other to follow the slope, while large windows capture the preserve, and deep overhangs and limestone walls nod to the Texas setting.

Exposition Residence by Brian Dillard Architecture

This 1939 stone home in the Tarrytown neighborhood had undergone many remodels in its lifetime, all of which did little to embrace its yard. Brian Dillard Architecture kept the original charm and scale while enlarging the living spaces, connecting the home to the pool terrace, and adding a new stone cabana that echoes the home’s original form.

Ramsey Residence by Clark Richardson Architects

The Ramsey Residence, a new build in the Rosedale neighborhood, balances public and private, inside and out, thanks to a tall glazed gallery, or “spine,” around which the house is organized. The gallery connects the public living spaces with more private zones, and it overlooks an outdoor courtyard that features a social cooking and entertaining area and a water feature for quiet contemplation.

Inverse House by Matt Fajkus Architecture

The Inverse House is a major remodel of a home alongside the golf course of Austin’s country club. The team at Matt Fajkus Architecture say they “reimagined the house’s main features as their opposites.” This involved moving the shared living spaces a floor up, inverting the gable roofline to become a butterfly, installing new windows and skylights, and turning the home’s segmented layout into a dynamic, open plan.

Clarksville Residence by LaRue Architects

LaRue Architecture joined past and present in this combination of a historic restoration and new construction in the Clarksville neighborhood. The firm preserved the front facade and wraparound porch of a 1915 bungalow, then built a steel-and-glass addition and outdoor entertaining space at the rear that takes advantage the incredible city views.

River Ranch by Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

Arranged on a seven-acre site, River Ranch by Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects connects two independent volumes—a 2,600-square-foot main house and a smaller guest quarters—with a 2,000-square-foot, L-shaped porch. The project prominently features salvaged brick and locally sourced cedar, and its inspiration runs the gamut from the early-1900s-era housing in the film Out of Africa to the Cibolo Creek Ranch in Marfa, Texas, where the clients were married.

Visit the 2021 AIA Austin Homes Tour website to purchase tickets for October 15 to 18, 2021.

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