This award-winning vacation home, located on Lake Travis, communicates in a Mediterranean accent with its red clay tile, stucco, courtyards, punctured walls, and shade. The owners wanted to create a remote image from the street approach, compatible with the landscape, with an emphasis on outdoor living.

The house is a series of terraces that step downward to the edge of a cliff. Lateral walls divide the site into layers of space and define the terraces. The primary wall of the residence is conceived as a metaphorical extension of the limestone cliff; the massive quality of the wall provides a sense of shelter and privacy. The wall shades the house from the west sun, while the openings modulate and frame a panorama of lake views. An innovative roof system of acrylic sheets transforms the harsh Texas sunlight into a glowing luminescence.

This 3400-square-feet house includes three bedrooms, three baths, a game room, a study, and a separate guesthouse. The public spaces are located on the first level, with access to pool and terraces. Private spaces are on the second level with access to decks. The guesthouse is symbolically separated from the main house by a bridge.