The American architecture studio of Matt Fajkus has created this striking boathouse pavilion, placed elegantly on the shores of a Texas ravine. Named Filtered Frame Dock, the project sits on a larger private estate, the main residence of which is also being designed by the same firm, and was created to offer a gateway between the blue waters and the home on site.
Its faceted composition not only feels sharp and modern, but was also created to reflect the context's wider conditions, allowing water and land, nature and architecture to connect meaningfully.
The structure ‘negotiates between the realms of land, water, and sky by framing one’s experience and understanding of the natural environment, above, along, and in the water,' explain the team at Matt Fajkus Architecture. The landscape was a key source of inspiration for the architects, as vistas, light and materiality helped drive the design solution.
The boathouse's open air nature allows the eye to travel and provides opportunities to view the natural landscape. It encourages movement, and also offers moments to sit and relax – on the decked terrace at the top, above the sheltered dock, for example.
The building’s perforated, geometric surfaces emphasise the connection with nature, encouraging light and air to filter through. User comfort was also carefully taken into account. ‘As the seasons shift, the dock provides greater shade during the heat of the summe, and welcomes more sun during the cooler winter months,' say the architects.
The main materials used are steel (for the gently angled roof and perforated stainless sides), timber and stone (the last two chosen for their inherent natural feel and tactile nature). Meanwhile, the overall ‘steel frame is designed and treated to last in the marine environment, enduring its fluctuating environmental conditions’, the team add.
It highlights Matt Fajkus Architecture's commitment to sustainable architecture and an eco-friendly approach that celebrates the land the practice designs for. §
INFORMATION
-
Florencia Rodriguez on the importance of curiosity, criticism and cultural freedomFlorencia Rodriguez, architect, writer and artistic director of this year’s Chicago Architecture Biennial, comments on the state of the States
-
Jean-Michel Othoniel takes over Avignon for his biggest ever exhibitionOriginally approached by Avignon to mark their 25th anniversary as the European Capital of Culture, Jean-Michel Othoniel more than rose to the challenge, installing 270 artworks around the city
-
What is the future for design in Africa? Designer Hicham Lahlou shares possibilities for the continent at largeThe Moroccan designer celebrates 30 years of his practice. Here he speaks from his studio in Rabat about his own career and the creative possibilities for design in Morocco and the rest of Africa
-
Florencia Rodriguez on the importance of curiosity, criticism and cultural freedom
Florencia Rodriguez, architect, writer and artistic director of this year’s Chicago Architecture Biennial, comments on the state of the States
-
A 432 Park Avenue apartment is an art-filled family home among the cloudsAt 432 Park Avenue, inside and outside compete for starring roles; welcome to a skyscraping, art-filled apartment in Midtown Manhattan
-
Discover this sleek-but-warm sanctuary in the heart of the Wyoming wildsThis glorious wood-and-stone residence never misses a chance to show off the stirring landscape it calls home
-
Inside a Montana house, putting the American West's landscape at its heartA holiday house in the Montana mountains, designed by Walker Warner Architects and Gachot Studios, scales new heights to create a fresh perspective on communing with the natural landscape
-
Peel back this Michigan lakeside house’s cool slate exterior to reveal a warm wooden homeIn Detroit, Michigan, this lakeside house, a Y-shaped home by Disbrow Iannuzzi Architects, creates a soft balance between darkness and light through its minimalist materiality
-
Inside the new theatre at Jacob’s Pillow and its ‘magic box’, part of a pioneering complex designed for danceJacob’s Pillow welcomes the reborn Doris Duke Theatre by Mecanoo, a new space that has just opened in the beloved Berkshires cultural hub for the summer season
-
A Rancho Mirage home is in tune with its location and its architect-owners’ passionsArchitect Steven Harris and his collaborator and husband, designer Lucien Rees Roberts, have built a home in Rancho Mirage, surrounded by some of America’s most iconic midcentury modern works; they invited us on a tour
-
Inside Frank Lloyd Wright’s Laurent House – a project built with accessibility at its heartThe dwelling, which you can visit in Illinois, is a classic example of Wright’s Usonian architecture, and was also built for a client with a disability long before accessibility was widely considered
